


Pirate and Prejudice

by rubberglue



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-01-26 11:48:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 104,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1687208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubberglue/pseuds/rubberglue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Guinevere pirates the Albion seas with her crew, magic user Merlin, gunner Elena and first officer Percy. Life is good until they board a royal Camelot ship captained by the Crown Prince of Camelot, a recently disgraced Arthur Pendragon. Seeking revenge, Guinevere kidnaps the prince. Desire flares between almost immediately even as they stand on different sides but soon it isn't just their attraction that they have to battle. A mysterious enemy is bent on reinstating the Old Religion to Albion by any means necessary and Guinevere is forced to decide which side to take in this looming war and what this would mean for her, for Merlin and for Arthur.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [unconventional courtship](http://unconventionalcourtship.dreamwidth.org/) challenge based off the book [Bound by the Heart](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/891798.Bound_by_the_Heart) (summary is edited from the book :p). Many, many thanks to Ancel, Jhing and Longjackets for their encouragement.

It started with a whisper, then the voices got louder, more excited, until a young boy ran towards the town square yelling, “Excalibur! I see the Excalibur!”

A group of young children, too young to understand the dangers, rushed to the port and watched as the large ship with its readily recognizable red flag sailed past in the distance. Within moments, their parents hustled them back home.

“The most vicious pirate sails the Excalibur,” one mother said to her child. “We don’t want to draw their attention.”

+

A shadow fell over her and Gwen moved the arm covering her face, squinting her eyes against the glare of the sun. 

"Are you sure you should be out here? You know how easily you burn," muttered Gwen.

Ignoring her words, Merlin flopped onto the deck next to her and stretched out. "I'm bored."

"What happened to your invisibility experiment?" Her arm fell back across her face, protecting her eyes as she wriggled her toes. After the weeks of lashing rain, Gwen was determined to soak up as much sun as possible. She missed the smell of the ocean and the feel of the ship rocking gently beneath her. 

“Yeah, that wasn’t going too well.”

“You haven’t blown up your bunk again, have you?” Gwen felt Merlin shift, probably to make himself more comfortable. He was all skin and bones and the hard wooden floor never provided him much comfort. 

“That happened 3 years ago. Can we put it behind us?”

Gwen turned her face to look at him, frowning. “Nope. I can still remember the splinters I received repairing that hole. It’s a good thing Dad didn’t make you walk the plank.”

“That wouldn’t have been much use, seeing that Killy would probably just come rescue me.” Merlin sighed loudly. “You would think running away to be a pirate would be fun. It just seems like long days of sunbathing to me. What are we? The pirates who don’t do anything?”

Gwen was feeling far too lazy to move, but she did swing her leg so that it connected nicely with  
Merlin’s ankle, then she smiled at his indignant yelp. “We did have that little fishing boat incident last week.”

“Ah, that was fun. The frightened faces, the quivering knees, the crying children.”

“Say what you want, Merlin. You’ll never convince me that you’ll make a halfway decent pirate. I have it on good authority that you even put in extra cushions on the boat after you fixed it.” Disapproval crept into Gwen’s voice. “That was risky.”

Merlin laughed. “They were so afraid of you, they wouldn’t have noticed those cushions. And please, putting extra cushions is nothing compared to the fact that you basically risked our ship to rescue them from the storm.”

“We could let them die at sea!”

“No, we couldn’t. Which is why I am utterly amazed every moment of how you maintain your reputation as the scourge of the seven seas.” 

Gwen rolled her eyes, not that Merlin could see. “I don’t even know where these seven seas are and people want to see what they see. I just help them along.”

“Never thought of landing at some island port, finding a nice man to marry and settling down?” Merlin teased, knowing her answer very well after all these years of friendship.

“The only thing marriage is good for is heart break and after you-know-who, I’ve sworn off all men. And I’ve the Excalibur, you, the sun, the sea and mostly importantly, my freedom. What more do I need?” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m hungry and it’s almost lunch time. Don’t you have fishing to do?”

“Aye, aye captain.” Gwen heard Merlin scramble up from beside her, then his heavy footsteps slowly petered out, leaving her alone. Cracking open her eyes, she looked up at the flag hoisted high above the ship, fluttering in the sky. She hated it but it seemed that it was tradition that every pirate worth their salt had a skull and crossbones on their flag. At least hers was red and not boring black like every other pirate she had the misfortune to meet on her journeys. 

“Captain Gwen.” 

With a sigh, Gwen sat up. Couldn’t a pirate captain sunbathe in peace anymore? “What is it, Percy?”

“There’s a ship on fire in a distance.”

Shading her eyes, Gwen stood and scoured the horizons. Smoke bellowed in the distance and Gwen sighed. All her years on the sea and the biggest accident she’d been in was when Merlin blew a hole through his bunk. Why couldn’t all these people take more care with their ships? “Right. I guess we should go see what’s happening.”

“There’s more.” Percy stood next to her, his spyglass loosely held in one hand. “It flies the Pendragon flag.”

+

He saw the bright red flag before he saw the pirate skull and he knew his day was only going to get worse. He’d consider it a success if all he lost was his ship. All around him, his men ran around in some sort of controlled panic as they frantically tried to put out the fire that had erupted in the galley.

“What do you want us to do?” Leon asked, the undercurrent of panic in his voice, evidence that he too noticed the approaching ship. Arthur didn’t blame him. No one sailing the Garnet Sea wanted to cross paths with Captain Guinevere and those who lived to tell the tale of their encounter refused to talk about it except to agree that she was best avoided at all costs. 

“There’s a fire burning. We don’t have much choice.” Even as he said those words, Arthur could feel fear curl her cold fingers round his heart. When he’d volunteered to join the crew of the Aithusa, he’d imagined a few months away from his overbearing father, a few months of freedom before returning to a marriage his father had arranged and a life tied to Camelot. Now, he was going to die – either at the hands of an unforgiving sea or the most vicious pirate who roamed the Garnet Sea.

He turned to Leon. “Gather Gwaine and his men and load the guns. We’re not going down without a fight.”

“Of course, my lord.” With a quick bow, Leon walked away. From the quarterdeck, Arthur scanned the ship. A little more time and fire might have been tamed, but with Excalibur approaching, time was no longer something they had. The deckhands would continue to fight the fire but the rest of his men would have to be prepared to fight something worse. With a sigh, he grabbed his sword, kept his eyes on the approaching pirate ship and prayed that their firepower would be enough to keep her at bay.

Arthur paced the gunwalls, checking that everything was loaded correctly. From where he stood, he could see a figure on The Excalibur’s quarterdeck. The figure was slighter than he expected, yet it stood confidently staring out at his ship. For a brief moment, Arthur felt their eyes meet and a shiver ran through him, but that was foolish. The Excalibur was still too far away. 

“On my count,” he said, his voice battling the roar of the fire and the crash of the waves. “On my count, we fire! Understand?”

“Yes, sir!” 

The Excalibur approached slowly, the red flag flying almost mockingly in the wind. Red – to symbolize all the blood of the men who’d Captain Guinevere had killed over the years since she inherited the ship from her father. 

“Now!” Arthur yelled, raising his sword. The ship rocked violently under him as the guns fired into The Excalibur. Part of the Royal Navy, Aithusa was equipped with the latest firearms but as Arthur watched with dawning horror, the Excalibur simply repelled the shots fired at it.

So it was true, Arthur realized. All those stories of the Excalibur being magic. Arthur had long thought that they were yarns, made up by men who couldn’t accept defeat by a lass. That cold hand around his heart only tightened its grip.

“Hold your fire. Move back.”

Slowly, but surely, the Excalibur drew up to them and for the first time in his life, Arthur Pendragon lay eyes on the infamous Captain Guinevere. One leg leaning against the side of the ship, arms crossed in front of her, her cutlass hanging from her hip, she watched passively as her ship neared his.

For years, Arthur had heard tales of her, some told of a pirate so beautiful she enchanted all the men who looked upon her face. Others told of a pirate so loathsome, as if her every sin were etched on her face. But now, as he looked at her, he realized she was neither of those.

She was dressed in tight breeches and shirt, tight enough that he could see her curves, from the roundness of her breasts to the slight curve of her hips. A bandana was tied around her head, preventing her long, dark curls from flying in the wind. She wasn’t anything like he imagined. Unlike the ladies of the court, she was not delicate or fair. Her skin, dark even without the sun’s influence, glowed with good health and he could see the strength in the way she held herself. Despite that, her face was deceivingly innocent and when, finally, her eyes met his, he was taken aback by the deep brown depths. No, Captain Guinevere wasn’t gorgeous like Lady Mithian, his soon-to-be wife, yet mixed in with the fear he had been feeling for quite a while, was the very definite pull of attraction. 

His death was imminent, and here he was thinking about how strangely attractive his executioner was. A wry smile crossed his face. 

+

Percy lowered the gangplank and Gwen strode across to the main deck of the Aithusa. A group of men had gathered on the deck, all with familiar expressions of fear and defiance all over their faces. All except one – a blonde man, dressed in the same worn clothes as the rest, whose eyes she could feel roam over her body. His gaze made her body tingle, a feeling she hadn’t encountered since the days of Lancelot. And when their eyes met, it felt as if a current went through her. For the first time in months, she felt a nervous flutter in her stomach.

“Who’s in charge here?” Casually, she moved her hand to her cutlass. 

The blonde man, with his intent blue gaze, took a step forward. “I am.”

Since he had no qualms examining her, Gwen did the same, letting her eyes travel over him, from top to toe. He was handsome, she had to admit but the blonde, blue eyed ones weren’t really her type. While his clothes looked like they had seen better days, they fit well, hugging his broad chest. Her eyes flicked back to his and noted that unlike the first time, his eyes were darker and shuttered. A smile played on his lips.

“You find it funny? That this might be the last day of your life?” Gwen asked, slowly pulling out her cutlass. From the corner of her eyes, she saw his men take a step back. Footsteps at her back told her that Merlin had joined her. 

The blonde shook his head. “I was wondering, where is your parrot?”

“Do you also wonder why I have two hands?” Gwen quirked an eyebrow, torn between amusement at his question and annoyance at his lack of respect. Merlin coughed softly. “Your ship, if you haven’t noticed is on fire. And,” she nodded towards the blaze, “it appears to be getting bigger. And your crew has stopped putting it out."

"It appears that we are doomed either way," said the man. "What do you want?"

Another dark-haired man stepped forward. Unlike the blonde, he held his sword up threateningly. Emboldened by him, a number of men moved forward again. "We won't go down without a fight."

The blonde raised a hand, holding the other man back. 

She glanced at the Pendragon crest flying from the mast, high and proud, uncaring about the conflict on the deck. The last time she'd seen the Pendragon crest, it had been the day her father was killed. Sucking in a breath, she kept her eyes on the captain.

"Merlin, you might as well make yourself useful and put out the fire. And Elena, get the crew to tie them all up."

The dark-haired man lunged forward together with a handful of others. Her own crew surged forward as well. Gwen immediately grabbed their captain, her cutlass slicing against his upper arm, eliciting a yell from him. His own sword was unsheathed but he'd been taken by surprise and was held tightly by Gwen before he could react, her cutlass dangerously close to his neck. 

"Don't make me kill your captain now!"

The scuffle on the deck stopped at once. Percy held two men by their collars while Elena had a sword at another's throat. The dark-haired man raised his hand in surrender, dropping his sword to the deck. 

"Now tie them up," she snapped. "And put out the damn fire."

With a hiss, the fire suddenly went out. Merlin shrugged when Gwen met his eyes. She shook her head. Using magic in front of people associated with the Pendragons was a death sentence. Merlin was far too cocky about her reputation. 

"Magic," gasped the captain. 

"And now you know my secrets."

"I suspected," he choked out. "What do you want from us?"

Pulling tightly at the knot she tied, she pushed the captain onto the deck. His sword, she took and tossed it behind her. He stumbled a little, then landed on his knees, arms tied behind his back and glared up at her. "What do you want," he asked again.

"I'm sure you've heard stories about me," she said, surveying the men in front of her. 

The dark-haired man spat. "You're going to kill us all and take our ship. What are you waiting for?"

Merlin suddenly moved over to her, whispering into her ear. "The captain is Arthur Pendragon, the crown prince."

Shocked, Gwen pulled Merlin further away. "Are you sure?"

"He is wearing the royal signet - only Lady Morgana, Prince Arthur and King Uther wear it. What - Gwen!"

Without waiting for Merlin to continue, Gwen marched back to the kneeling prince. After all this time. "It's far too much trouble to kill all of you and your ship is too damaged to be worth anything. Pendragon is what I'm going to do. I'm going to take your captain as trophy and the rest of you can take your pathetic ship and leave."

Merlin frowned while Percy and Elena stared at her. She ignored them, walked over to the captain and yanked him to his feet. "Resist," she muttered, "and I will set your whole ship on fire."

"My father -"

"I know who your father is, my lord," she interrupted, then pushed him onto the gangplank. "Let's go. Leave them tied up, I'm sure they will free themselves soon enough."

+

Gwen stood on the quarterdeck and stared out at the horizon. Her fingers curled around the railing as the cold wind buffeted her face. Regret was already creeping into her heart like the night chill. 

"Percy put the prince in the hold. I've also ensured that the Aithusa will land safely." Merlin voice was neutral but Gwen wasn't foolish enough to believe he wasn't questioning her actions from earlier. 

"You think I was being foolhardy."

Merlin leaned on the railings, his sigh carried on the wind. "The whole Pendragon navy will be after you."

"It's not like we can't take them on."

A raised eyebrow. "You mean, it's not like Merlin and Killy can't take them on. And a war will entail casualties. A war this size, too many casualties."

She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have consulted you. But when you told me he was Uther's son, I just - I guess I just wanted revenge."

"Revenge. I never thought I would hear that word coming from you." 

"Neither did I. Neither did I." She pushed herself away from the railings. "I'm going to ask for a ransom. If Uther is sensible, he'll pay it and we can send the prince back and that would be that."

"Let's hope so." Merlin didn't sound convinced. And frankly, neither was she. "What’s done is done. Dinner should be ready. Come on."

+

Arthur could feel the sweat rolling down his back. The shackles were heavy against his wrists, cutting into his skin. Captain Guinevere's large bodyguard had dragged him down here, secured him to a metal rod on the ground then left him all alone, with nothing but the sound of his own harsh breaths. He'd expected the place to smell of death - god knows how many men she'd imprisoned down here - but aside from the familiar scent of damp wood and spices, there was no lingering stench of blood or decay. It was disconcerting. As disconcerting as the fact that instead of plundering his well-stocked ship, she'd simply put out the fire and let them go. Let them all go, except him.

In the silence, his stomach rumbled. Was he going to starve to death here in the dark hold of the Excalibur? Or would his wound, left untreated, get infected then slowly kill him? He wondered if Aithusa was still seaworthy and if so, how long it would be before she reached Camelot and his father alerted to his plight. Would Captain Guinevere have had him killed by then? Or would she slowly torture him until his body and mind could take it no longer as revenge? 

He was still pondering his fate when he heard the door to the hold creak open and a shaft of light cut through the darkness. 

The footsteps were light. Not the bodyguard then. Perhaps the other lady pirate or the magical one. But as the figure came nearer, he knew who it was. The captain herself. He watched as she made her way to him, watched the way her hips moved from side to side. Her hair was tied up this time and her face was tight with tension.

“Here. Dinner.” Thrusting out her arm, she held out a bowl.

He snorted. “I’m kinda trapped here. You’ll just have to feed me.”

“Your insolence doesn’t amuse me,” she snapped, even as she placed the bowl on the ground beside him, dug into her pockets and retrieved a key. Leaning over him, she began to unlock his shackles. Her unexpected nearness startled him and he sucked in a breath, a foolish action as all he got was a lungful of her scent – a mix of seawater, flowers and sweat. Her hair tickled his chin and from this distance, he realized that she had a sprinkle of freckles across her cheeks and nose. With her long lashes, the slight bite of her lip as she worked the key and her warm breath that ghosted across his arms, Arthur once again felt that unwelcomed tug of attraction.

She was a dangerous pirate, he reminded himself, no matter how her proximity made her heart race.

With a satisfying click, the shackles fell open and Arthur felt a lick of cool breeze against his sore wrists. She lifted her head and their eyes locked. She was too close, so close that all Arthur had to do was lean forwards slightly, and he'd be able to taste those lips, learn what her dusky skin felt like. Her wide brown eyes held an innocence that was incongruous to her reputation, inviting him to drown in them.

Her reputation. This was probably all a game to her. 

With a jerk, he pulled back, dropping his gaze to his swollen wrists.

She pushed the bowl closer to him. "Eat up," she said before she stood, then stalked out of the hold. He wondered if he imagined the tremble in her voice. It took a while before his heart settled.

When the door to the hold opened again, just as he scraped up the last bit of tasteless gruel, he half-expected - wanted, if he was honest with himself - the Captain to return but it was just her large bodyguard, the one she called Percy. 

"Come."

Arthur stood. Now that he was no longer chained, he briefly considered fighting his way to freedom, except he was one man without a weapon and while he might be able to take on the bodyguard, he was defenseless against magic. "Where are we going?"

Silently, Percy cuffed his wrists causing Arthur to wince at the metal sliding across his tender skin. "The Captain has arranged sleeping quarters for you." 

Percy spoke with little inflection and Arthur was left to wonder as he walked in front if he was being serious. Why would Captain Guinevere provide him with sleeping quarters? What was she up to? Perhaps sleeping quarters was a euphemism for a torture chamber? He'd heard stories of the existence of an extensive torture chamber in her ship. 

Unceremoniously, Arthur was shoved into a small room. Unlike the hold, there was a small window and a tiny bed Arthur knew wouldn't be very comfortable. 

"I'm going to take off your shackles," intoned Percy. "Don't do anything foolish."

"What is she planning to do with me?" Arthur asked as he held out his arms. 

Percy merely shrugged. "Whatever she wants. There will be a guard outside your room. Try to escape and you'll forfeit your life."

"My father -"

Something flashed in Percy's eyes. "Your father killed Captain Guinevere's father. You should count yourself lucky you still breathe." The cuffs in his hands, Percy shot him one last glare, then left the room, slamming the door behind him. 

The bed was as uncomfortable as it looked and his wound still throbbed and burned. His wrists were sore to the touch. Yet, Arthur fell asleep easily, exhaustion from the day's events taking over his body.


	2. Chapter 2

"His wound needs looking after," said Percy.

"Who cares about him? Leave his wound. It'll get infected and he'll die a slow, painful death," said Elena between bites of bread. "What are your plans? Are we going to have to get ready for a war?"

"I'm going to ask for a ransom for the prince." Gwen pushed the grub on her plate around, her appetite strangely muted. "I'm sorry."

Elena and Percy exchanged a glance. "Uther is going to use this as an excuse to go after you. He won't pay the ransom."

Gwen looked at Percy, the truth of his words sinking in. "I might have been impulsive but we're committed to this course of action. I'm sorry I am dragging you into a war between us and the Pendragons."

Elena laughed. "It won't be our first. Your father lost the first one. We'll win this one."

"We will," said Merlin solemnly.

"Their firepower is many times ours. They have a battalion of ships and countless men willing to die for the Pendragon flag." Gwen played with her spoon. "It will not be an easy battle. But it will be weeks before they realise the prince is missing. We have that advantage."

"We also have your reputation," said Percy.

That made Gwen smile wryly. "My reputation - full of smoke and mirrors."

"That doesn't matter. The men will be quaking in their boots and that will do them in. But we need to keep the prince alive and his wound will do him in before his father's men arrive if we don't look after it."

With a sigh, Elena wiped her hands on her breeches. "Fine. I'll take care of it, but don't expect me to be gentle."

"No," said Gwen. "I'll do it."

At his door, she hesitated, wondering why she'd volunteered to do this, especially after what happened when she handed him his dinner. Every time her fingers brushed against him as she unlocked his shackles, a shiver had shot through her and later, for that infinitesimal moment, when he had stared at her as if he wanted to devour her, she had almost leaned closer so she could press her lips against his.

Gwen shook her head, then pushed the door open. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but it wasn't him fast asleep on the bed, his chest moving rhythmically with the ship. Quietly, she closed the door behind her, then stepped further into the small room. Next to the bed, she placed the shallow and bowl and dressing on the ground and gave in to her desire to stare at the prince. Percy was right - his wound looked bad, and for a moment, Gwen felt bad. Her eyes travelled up to his face. While awake, his face was tense, asleep, he looked relaxed, his lips slightly parted and his eyelashes resting on his cheeks.

It was only when he stirred, that Gwen realised she'd reached out to touch his cheek.

His hand clamped around her wrist, and she stifled a yelp. She tried to pull away but his hold was firm. Blinking, his blue eyes finally focused on her.

"Captain." His hold on her still tight, he moved so he was sitting up and she was balanced at the edge of his bed. "Captain," he repeated, his breath scuttling across her skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake.

"My lord," she said in reply.

"Arthur," he corrected.

"Arthur," she whispered, as, on its own accord, her free hand lifted and touched his cheek.

And then he was kissing her, his lips crushed against hers, while his hands threaded through her hair. Her own hands cradled his face, her palms relishing the feel of his beard-roughened skin against them. He tasted like the sea, salty and dangerous. How long has it been since she'd been kissed like this? How long since she'd felt so desired? She whimpered against his lips, when he fisted her hair, leaning into his hold. Her heart thumped as heat pooled low in her stomach.

"You're good," rasped Arthur, suddenly pushing her away.

For a moment, confusion reigned and she just stared at him. Cold, hard eyes stared back at her.

"I've heard stories of how you -"

Gwen shoved him hard and he fell back onto the bed. "And yet you fell for it, didn't you?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed in response. "What did you think would happen? I would fall for you then have my heart broken? I know you want revenge, Captain Guinevere," he sneered. "For what my father did. I assume you are keeping me alive for the prospect of greater rewards."

"Whatever I do to you, your family deserves it." She grabbed the dressing from the floor and without warning, yanked his arm towards her.

Surprise coloured his eyes as she deftly washed his wound. Yet he said nothing and she could feel him watching her closely. As she tied the bandages, she pulled them tight, wanting to inflict some sort of pain - a tit for tat for her humiliation earlier. He hissed.

"Merlin says this will help your wrists heal." Rudely, she tossed the vial at him. "I'm sure you can rub it in yourself."

He said nothing, continuing to stare at her. She took one last look at him, then walked out of the room. The guard at the door greeted her but she walked resolutely on until she closed the door to her own bunk. Then, leaning against the wall, she let out a long breath, shakily touching her still swollen lips.

+

Whatever it was in the vial stung and Arthur wondered if he was foolish to trust the Captain. For all he knew, he was rubbing poison into himself. It would feel so much better if she was rubbing the potion into his skin. Instead of planning an escape, he was fantasizing about his captor, remembering the way her lips molded to his, the feel of her hair under his hands and wondering what it would be like to slowly unbutton her shirt and slide his hands under it, to feel the weight of her breasts and the heat of her skin. With a groan, he dragged his mind from her. She must have put a spell on him, enchanting him with her magic so all he could focus on was her.

He stood up and peered out of the tiny window, watching as a few of the crew scrubbed the main deck. For a pirate ship as notorious as the Excalibur, the size of the crew seemed to be very skimpy. But Arthur supposed having magic meant you didn't need so many people. Clearly, sheer physical force wouldn't be the key to his escape. He needed something more subtle, more covert. Or he could wait for his father to save him. All he'd need to do is keep alive.

His thoughts were disrupted when she walked out onto the main deck. She spoke to a few of her crew, laughing at something they said as her hair danced in the sea breeze. Dusk was settling over the ship and it looked like they were getting ready for some sort of gathering. She'd stopped talking and was leaning against the side of the ship. Arthur couldn't see her face but for some reason, he got the sense that she was sad. For a brief moment, he wanted to reach out and hold her.

She really had enchanted him. Swearing at his own foolishness, he tore himself away from the window and flung himself on his bed. Sleep. He needed to rest, then work out an escape plan.

She kneeled in front of him, her hands at the buttons of her shirt and she bit her lips. Without a single touch and he was already painfully aroused. He moved his arms but the ropes were tied too securely to his wrists. But he couldn't think much about his situation because she'd unbuttoned her top button, revealing to his eyes a hint of the soft curve of her breasts. Arthur ached to touch, ached to push away her hands which were taking far too long to reveal her to him, ached to see if her breasts looked the way he'd pictured them far too many times in his head. As her hands moved to the next button, her head lifted, her brown eyes were dark with desire and those luscious lips of hers parted.

"Breakfast!" There was a clatter, footsteps and the door slammed, making his bed shake, completely pulling Arthur out of his dream. With a groan, Arthur opened his eyes, blinking as the bright morning sun shone down on him. He shifted, trying to ease the discomfort in his groin. This torture Captain Gwen put him through was wearing him down. With little to do in his tiny bunk, all he seemed to be able to think about was her. The glimpses he got of her from the small window only served to fuel his fantasies. Night after night, he writhed on his bed, waking up sweating and aroused. And he never even got very far in his dreams.

Like clockwork, a young woman opened the door to his room to take his breakfast. Usually, he would stare sullenly at her as she went about clearing his breakfast. But he couldn't take being trapped in this room any more.

"Don't you sentence your prisoners to forced labour anymore?"

The look she sent him would chill the heart of any other man. "The captain is treating you really well, seeing what a scumbag you are." Her hands holding his bowl of leftover gruel, she turned sharply towards the door.

"That wasn't criticism," he said but the door slammed in his face and he heard the lock turn. Arthur sighed. Noise started to filter in through the window and Arthur stood to peer through it, hoping to catch a glimpse of the captain, as much as he told himself he shouldn't.

+

Gwen watched as Percy led the crew through the checking of the riggings. Merlin was convinced that a storm was brewing and although Merlin was rather hit and miss when it came to predicting the weather (not something she mentioned to Merlin nowadays since he had taken great offense the last time she did), it was best to be prepared. The Excalibur was her one true love and she wasn't going to allow Mother Nature to take her from Gwen.

"Your prisoner is far too comfortable in his bunk," said Elena, standing next to her. "You should throw him in the hold like all the others."

Gwen laughed. "You mean like all those non-existent prisoners we take?"

"We're not going to be able to live on your father's money forever. And Merlin's treasure hunting skill is really limited. When was the last time we found sunken treasure?"

"A month ago? Off that really gorgeous island?" Percy was yelling at the crew now, and Gwen shook her head. Young Mordred, another stowaway, was being difficult again and Gwen wondered if she shouldn't have just thrown him off the ship when she discovered him hiding in her hold.

"The gold will run out," said Elena, and Gwen cast her a look. For weeks, Elena had been after her to plunder some ships.

"We still have enough for some months yet." She smiled at Elena, squeezing her shoulders slightly. "Don't worry. I won't let you starve."

Elena let out a sigh of resignation, shaking her head. "You can't survive as a pirate without being a pirate," she sniffed.

"I think 2 years is a pretty good track record."

With another exaggerated sigh and a roll of her eyes, Elena stomped off to help Percy with the riggings.

"You shouldn't have a Master Gunner if you have no plans to actually plunder other ships."

With a jump, Gwen turned, then glared at Merlin. "Don't sneak up on me like that. And unfortunately, as peace-loving as I am, we still need defenses and Elena is great at manning the guns."

Merlin looked at her and Gwen knew from his eyes what he was going to say. "Yes," she said before he could speak. "I know she's right about the money, but there's still quite a bit left and we did just get information on the sunken Fisher King. When we find it, we'll be good for many months yet."

"If we find it." He gave her another look, before casting his gaze at the horizon. "Well, Elena is going to get her wish for action," said Merlin. "I think the storm is going to be a bad one."

"Weather has been awful recently," sighed Gwen. "I'll let Percy know."

As she stood next to Percy and relayed Merlin's words, Percy grimaced. "For once, I believe Merlin. The signs are not promising."

"We survived that storm a month ago, thanks to your preparations." Gwen placed a hand on Percy's arm.

"Survived the storm and gained a brooding, mouthy teenager," muttered Elena who joined them. "It's going to be a bad one."

Gwen caught Elena's eyes. "Exactly what I was saying to Percy."

"Well, at least we will be prepared." Elena scanned the skies. "The prisoner could be of use."

"Prince Arthur?"

Elena nodded. "He's fit, knows how a ship works and we could definitely use a hand. changing the sails before night fall." When Gwen said nothing, Elena shrugged. "It's your call."

"Be careful up there!" yelled Percy, stepping forward towards the riggers. Elena said something about checking the gun deck, then disappeared as well.

"We'll be fine," said Gwen, as much to reassure Merlin as herself.

The storm was, as Merlin predicted, a bad one. Forked lightning, brilliant and white-hot, flashed through the blackening sky, before a deluge of rain poured down from the heavens. The Excalibur lurched and rolled in the rising swell, buffeted by waves that crashed against her sides, uncaring of the crew who rushed about, taking down sails and bailing water.

"Percy and Merlin can manage. You should take shelter." Elena's words were accompanied by a rumble of thunder and a large wave rammed the ship, causing it to tilt. Gwen grabbed hold of the side of the ship as Elena stumbled into her. "Merlin! Your defenses!"

"I am doing the best I can!" Merlin yelled back. Gwen could see the strain on his face as he tried to shield the ship from the storm. In the back, Percy was hustling the riggers to hurry. Rain pelted down on her and her clothes clung uncomfortably to her body.

The last rigger slid down the mast.

"Come on. It's going to get dangerous," yelled Elena over the storm. Merlin muttered one more spell, then darted off towards the bunks. Percy hurried the riggers, one of them holding his arm as if he'd injured himself, and Elena disappeared under the deck. Her clothes heavy with water, Gwen took one last look around the main deck.

Water pooled with every step she took down the deck. Her hands gripped the railings as she made her way to her bunk. As much as she enjoyed life on sea, days like this made her question if it was all worth it. She closed her eyes.

Then bumped into something hard. Instinctively, she raised her hands and they came into contact with warm flesh. Her eyes flew open, just as an arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

Gwen knew her mouth was open but she couldn't say anything, not when she was plastered against the prince's wet chest, barely covered by his soaked shirt.

"Damn," he swore and made to let go of her when the ship lurched again. Instead, he grabbed her, pressing her closer - something Gwen was amazed was even possible - as they slammed into a wall. Until the ship steadied, he kept his arm around her and Gwen found clutching his shoulders. "Are you alright?"

He was so close she could see his individual eyelashes and the pores in his skin. Memories of the kiss they shared just a few days ago rose in her mind and she felt the sharp pull of desire.

She kneed him.

With a yelp drowned out by another roll of thunder, he let go of her. "What was that for?"

Gulping, she nodded as she forced herself to take a step back. His blue eyes raked across her body and she was suddenly aware of her soaked clothes that were probably completely transparent. She took another step back, hitting the wall. "Why are you out of your room?"

"I needed to stretch my legs," he said, his eyes locked on hers, his voice casual.

"You were trying to escape!" She withdrew her cutlass and pointed it at his throat. He raised his hands.

"Can you blame me?"

The ship tilted once more, sending them stumbling and above, Gwen could hear water battering the deck. "It's dangerous out here," she said, pressing the tip of the cutlass against him. "Either follow me or I'll get Percy to throw you overboard in this storm."

The prince merely shrugged, then walked obediently in front of her.

Once the door closed behind her, Gwen regretted her instructions for him to follow her. She might have the biggest bunk in the ship but with the shirtless prince inside, her bunk seemed far too small. Trying to put some distance between her and the prince, she stepped aside and rummaged through her drawers, pulled out a towel and tossed it to him. Raising an eyebrow, he caught the towel and started to dry himself.

"Like the view?"

Gwen coloured and pulled her gaze away. She couldn't understand herself. She'd seen Percy and Merlin shirtless countless times so why did she find the prince rubbing the towel across his chest so fascinating?

"I was just thinking that you aren't very smart."

He stopped rubbing his chest. "Not smart?"

At his nonplussed expression, Gwen felt a bit more control. She sniffed. "How did you think you would escape in a storm like this?"

"I admit I wasn't thinking very hard beyond getting out of my bunk." His eyes flicked across her body again. "You should get out of those clothes." Gwen frowned at his words but before she could say anything, he raised his hands. "I'm not trying anything funny. But you are going to catch a cold like this. Plus it can't be comfortable. Look, I'll turn around."

"Why do you care anyway?" Gwen sniped. Her fingers trembled and together with her dripping shirt, she had difficulty unbuttoning her it.

He shrugged, the muscles of his back rippling as he did so. What was she doing, staring at the enemy? Swearing under her breath, Gwen focused her attention back on her shirt. "What are you planning to do with me?"

"Ransom," Gwen muttered. Finally the top button popped free and she moved on to the others.

"You do realise that my father is going to bring the whole royal navy to destroy your ship."

"You do realise that I am Captain Guinevere Thomas and I will destroy your navy before you even touch Excalibur." The buttons were being difficult again. "And your father will deserve everything he gets."

He turned then, his eyes blazing with emotion. "I know who you are. They call you the scourge of the seven seas. You plunder, steal and sink ships without batting an eyelash. And after all your evil deeds, it's about time you're stopped."

Her hands dropped from her shirt and she stepped towards him. "Don't pretend to know me."

"I know you're evil. All pirates are evil." He took a step towards her, his lips curled into a snarl.

"Your father murdered my father in cold blood. Who's the evil one?" Lifting her head, she took another step.

"Your father was a lowlife criminal like you. He deserved to die."

"No one deserves to die! My father was drinking in a tavern, minding his own business, when your father's men killed him!" Her next step brought her so close, her bare breasts brushed against his chest.

She tensed. He groaned.

And then he was kissing her. Or maybe she was kissing him. Gwen didn't know. All she knew was the feel of his heated skin under her hands, the taste of his lips and the light friction of his stubble against her face. Someone moaned and his tongue swiped against her lips until it found entry into her mouth. She leaned into him, as his hands pushed at her shirt. Somehow, all those misbehaving buttons were undone now and her shirt fell onto the ground in a puddle.

When his hand cupped one breast, his lips moved from hers to her throat, Gwen shuddered. She had thought she was aroused before but now, she was filled with a pulsating need she'd never felt before. Her fingers ran through his damp hair.

"What are we doing?" Gwen had to strain to hear the words muttered against her throat.

She might have whimpered in response. She definitely ground her hips against his.

"I want you," he groaned. "Tell me you want me too."

"Yes," gasped Gwen, ignoring the small voice that told her she was about to sleep with the enemy, as his thumb rubbed her nipple. "Yes, I want you."

Even before she finished, he picked her up, her legs immediately wrapping around his waist, and walked towards her bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Half-naked, eyes glazed over with desire, hair loosened from the braid she usually wore, Captain Guinevere Thomas looked nothing like the vicious, blood-thirsty pirate queen he'd heard in all the stories.

Arthur stood, legs apart to balance against the roll of the ship, as looked down at her.

"Arthur." From the bed, she smiled up at him.

Her voice felt like silk caressing his skin. Shucking off his trousers, Arthur crawled onto the bed, positioning himself above her. Balancing himself on one hand, he let his other trail down her cheek, to her shoulder, then skimming the side of breast, her hips, her thighs. Arthur was far from innocent but the desperate lust, the undeniable attraction he felt for this pirate was nothing he'd ever experienced before. Just the feel of her smooth brown skin made him ache, made him want. Part of him wanted to pull down her trousers, spread her legs and take her. The other part of him wanted to ensure that she would never forget this time with him.

"Arthur," she whispered huskily, lifting herself up to press kisses against his jaw as her foot slid up his leg.

"You're getting the bed wet."

She wriggled on the bed, and he let out a breath as her hips came into contact with his. "Then maybe you should get me out of these wet clothes."

"Maybe I should," he replied. His free hand dipped to the ties of her trousers and pulled – not an easy task as she continued to kiss and nibble his jaw. "God," he groaned when he managed to push her trousers down a little. "You are gorgeous."

As he revealed her long, lithe legs, he kissed each little bit he uncovered. Gwen was making whimpering little noises and she squirmed under him. Her hips lifted, as if inviting him to taste. So he did, running his finger across her folds, through the dark hair that covered them. She responded to his every touch and the eroticism of her gasps and pleads made Arthur so hard, he wondered how long more he could hold out. When he leaned over and licked her wetness, she screamed and her fingers dug into his head.

Arthur never felt so powerful before.

"Please."

He licked again as his fingers rubbed her.

"Arthur."

His tongue dipped into her, reveling in her evident arousal and the taste of her.

"Oh, please."

With his teeth, he grazed her as she pulsed and clenched the fingers he had in her.

"Arthur."

His name on her lips, she came, shuddering, her hips jerking off the bed, her hand clutching her bed spreads.

Arthur needed her now and when his eyes met hers, he knew she knew as well.

+

Gwen murmured something, then pressed her face into his chest. Without thinking, he tightened his hold on her, his thumb rubbing the smooth skin of her shoulder. Burying his nose in her hair, Arthur dragged in a breath. The storm had abated in the wee hours of the morning and above him, he could hear the crew working on the ship. Next to him, Gwen's soft breaths puffed against his skin.

He should kill her. Or at least attempted an escape again.

Instead, they had spent most of the night exploring each other's bodies and learning what made each of them shudder or scream in pleasure.

Her legs moved, slipping between his, nudging against his growing hardness and she snuggled further into him, her hands curled into fists against his chest.

Arthur pushed her away and scrambled off the bed. His clothes. He needed his trousers. They should be near the bed. His hip bumped into the bed as he bent down to grab his trousers.

Something metal pressed against his back.

"You don't think you're going to escape so easily, do you?"

Slowly, he turned his head, hating that seeing her kneeling on the bed in all her nakedness, pressing her cutlass into his back, made him hard again.

"What makes you think I am going to escape?" He turned back, desperately trying to wipe that image of her from his mind.

"Are you saying you're not?" The metal tip of the cutlass dug into his back. "Because I find it hard to believe."

He laughed bitterly. "Your crew is up and about. You have magic on your boat. How am I supposed to escape?" He felt the press of the cutlass ease. "I just want to return to my bunk." When she said nothing, Arthur turned to look again. She was off the bed, back to him, and pulling on her clothes. He put his trousers on and walked out of her bunk.

+

"Gwen?" When Elena touched her shoulder, Gwen jumped. "Hey! I've been calling you for ages. What's wrong with you?"

"Sorry," muttered Gwen. She flexed her fingers against the edge of the ship. Two days and every time she closed her eyes, she could see them writhing on her bed, see his eyes dark and full of desire. "What is it?"

"Merlin thinks that we're getting close."

"To?" She asked absently.

She could feel Elena's impatience. "To the treasure we're in search of? Does the ship Fisher King ring a bell? What is wrong with you these days?"

The answer came immediately. Arthur. That prince was the reason everything was wrong with her, from her distraction to her sleepless nights. Putting on a smile, Gwen said, "I'm just tired."

"Mordred stole rum from the hold again so I locked him there and your prisoner tried to leave his bunk. I tied him up." Elena shrugged. "You probably should deal with them."

"Hey," Gwen placed a hand on Elena's shoulder. "Thanks."

"Yeah. You better work out whatever is bugging you." With a toss of her head, Elena walked over to where Percy stood at the quarterdeck. He smiled widely as Elena approached, draping an arm around her.

Gwen pushed open the door to the hold, lingering as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. In the corner, Mordred was curled against the wall, seemingly fast asleep.

"Mordred?" Gently, she reached down and touched his shoulder.

His eyes opened and his whole body tensed, subtly shifting away from her. "Are you going to throw me overboard?"

As she squatted down, she could see a mix of fear and defiance in his eyes. Inwardly, she sighed. "What makes you think that?"

"That's what Elena said." He yanked at the chains that bound him to the wall, then scowled. "I'll just find another ship."

Gwen sat beside him, pulling out the keys to the lock from her pocket. "Rather hard if you're dead." Deftly, she unlocked his cuffs. "Why did you steal the rum?"

"I felt like it." He rubbed his wrists, eyes trained on the floor.

"If you want to stay on the Excalibur, you need to stop breaking the rules." Gwen said as firmly as she could. Mordred was younger than most of her hands, sulky and sullen and Gwen wasn't sure how to deal with him. Several times, she had been tempted to do as Elena suggested – leave him at port.

"It's just rum," he said.

"It's rum today, smoked meat last week and dereliction of duties the week before. Elena is right, I should throw you overboard."

He shrugged. "What are you waiting for?"

"You wanted to stay on the Excalibur. You pleaded to stay on the Excalibur. So why are you acting like this?"

"Maybe I don't want to stay on the Excalibur anymore." With one foot, he hit the side of the hold.

Gwen stood, wiping her hands on her trousers. "Fine. But until we berth somewhere, you still have duties to do. It's the only way you'll get fed. Once we get to land, you're free to go."

"Whatever."

Anger bubbled in Gwen but she took a deep breath. "Good." Then she walked out of the hold, slamming the door behind her. Now to deal with the prince who'd been haunting her nights. She'd been avoiding him since that night.

By the time she reached Arthur's bunk, Gwen was in a right mood. The fact that seeing him sitting on the floor, his arms tied behind him, reminded her of that night and made lust snake through her body, made her even more annoyed. Drawing her cutlass, she pointed it at Arthur's throat.

"This is getting too familiar," he said with a smirk.

"You are my captive," she snapped. "Just because - just because that night happened - doesn't mean you get free reign of the ship."

"Look, I'm the captive, so I'm trying to escape. You're the captor so you should be trying to keep me here. We're just doing as our roles require."

"Do you think this is all a game? Try to escape once more and I will run you through." She stepped closer to him so she was staring down at him. Despite being tied up, hair ruffled and looking like he slept as little as her over the past two nights, when their eyes met, that dull desire that had been building since she stepped into the bunk spiked.

"Kill me and my father will not hesitate to completely destroy you."

"If your father had the capability to destroy me, he would have done so before."

Arthur glared up at her. "Untie me."

"You are not in a position to make demands." She scowled, her anger directed more at herself when she found herself noticing the way his arm muscles flexed as he tried to loosen the ropes.

"Look, it'll be weeks before my father even realises I'm gone. And then more weeks before he comes hunting you down. I can't spend them all holed up in here."

"Arthur Pendragon, in case you've forgotten in the last few seconds, you are my prisoner and yes, you can spend the next several weeks holed up here if I say so." The most ridiculous thought entered her mind. "Unless, like Elena suggested, we put you to work."

As if he could read her thoughts, his eyes immediately darkened and Gwen could see the desire in them. It mollified her a little to know she wasn't the only one feeling this pull between them. "What kind of work," he asked, the sharp accusatory tone he was using earlier gone.

"I can't stop thinking of you, of that night," Gwen said as she knelt down in front of him, placing her cutlass on the ground next to her. Her honesty made his eyes widen.

"Are you suggesting a trade? Sex for freedom?" Surprise coloured his eyes.

"Limited freedom. I'm not setting you free." She could feel a blush rise in her but years of managing her emotions meant she barely flinched at his words. "It's just a suggestion, one you need not agree to. But it's sex and physical work on the ship for limited freedom." She hesitated. "Or just physical work for limited freedom."

His voice dipped. "You seem to have wormed your way into my blood as well. Perhaps," he leaned as far towards her as his binds would allow, "we will rid ourselves of this pesky desire by the time my father attacks your ship."

She leaned towards him. "It's a deal."

"I think we should seal it with a kiss," he said and it didn't take much more than that to make Gwen lean further in and press her lips against his.

Her hand cupped his face as she deepened the kiss.

"Untie me."

A smile spread across her face. "I don't think so." She kissed his jaw, then nibbled his ear, enjoying the harsh breaths that tore out of Arthur. "I quite like having you at my mercy."

He twisted his head so their lips met again in a heated, open kiss. Wrenching his lips from her, Arthur whispered, "I'm all yours, Captain Guinevere."

+

Merlin, Elena and Percy stood in front of him, arms crossed, nothing but doubt and suspicion on their faces.

"He's a prince. What do you think he can do aside from order people around?" asked Merlin.

"He's got working limbs. I'm sure he can do something," said Elena, her eyes scanning him. Percy lifted his eyebrows but said nothing.

Gwen shoved him forward. His arms were still tied behind his back. "I don't care what he does but he's fit and available so we might as well put him to use. Elena, draw up a schedule of duties."

The smile that grew on Elena's face did not fill Arthur with hope. "I have just the job for him."

"Good. Percy and Merlin, let's run though what's going to happen when we reach the Fisher King." With those words, Gwen, the woman who, just an hour ago was straddled on his lap, moaning huskily into his throat, walked off. Merlin cast a disapproving look at him.

"Right. You know your way around a ship?"

Arthur shrugged. He probably wasn't as familiar with it as Elena or Percy but he'd captained many of his father's ship.

"I'm going to take that as a yes." Elena walked fast. "Plus you probably consider yourself a leader."

He grunted, not sure where Elena was going with this. Then, became wary when he noticed they were walking towards the hold. Elena pushed open the door.

"Mordred? Mordred!"

There was shuffling, then a young boy, barely in his teens with scruffy black hair and a sulk on his face, came out of the darkness.

Elena's grin was far too smug. From her pocket, she whipped out a knife and cut his ties. "This is Mordred." Reaching out, she ruffled his hair, only for the young boy to scowl and duck. "And you'll be his babysitter. He has a list of duties and he has a habit of not doing them, which is very bad, isn't it Mordred, for someone who wants to be part of the crew."

"I don't want to be part of the crew." Arthur thought he was just a pout away from stamping his foot. Of all the things he'd thought he'd be asked to do, babysitting a sullen teenager hadn't been on the list.

"Too bad. You're part of the crew until we dock somewhere. For some reason, Gwen won't let me dump you overboard." Elena gave Mordred a push towards Arthur, grinned at them, mouthed the word 'enjoy', then sauntered out of the hold.

Arthur stretched out his hand. "I'm Arthur."

"Yeah." Mordred looked everywhere except him.

"So what are you supposed to be doing next?"

Mordred finally looked at him. "Scrubbing the decks."

Three hours later, Arthur's limbs ached. His head ached as well.

"Dinner." Elena shoved a bowl of gruel under his nose. She turned to Mordred. "You want some or are you still on your hunger strike?"

Mordred shrugged.

"Give him some," said Arthur. "He worked hard today."

They sat together with the other crew. Elena, Merlin and Gwen sat at one corner of the deck, deep in conversation while Percy sat at another corner. As he popped a spoonful of gruel into his mouth, Arthur found his eyes drawn to Gwen. She smiled as she chatted to Elena and Merlin and occasionally, her laughter would float towards him and his body, as tired as it was, would react.

"You like her."

Mordred's words got his attention. "What?"

"The captain. You keep staring at her."

"I'm just thinking." Arthur looked down at the boy. "How did you end up on the Excalibur?"

"Ran away." Mordred poked at the food, then looked back at Arthur. "You? Elena says you're a prisoner."

"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot. Got kidnapped by the captain."

Something like awe filled Mordred's eyes before he blinked and it disappeared, replaced by the bored, sullen look Arthur was familiar with. "You're a prince huh?"

"Yes, not that anyone here cares."

"So," Mordred said, "that means you lead the Camelot navy."

Arthur's first instinct was to agree. But something in Mordred's eyes made him tell the truth. He lowered his voice. "Not really. I was, but well, I got stripped of it."

"Why?" asked Mordred in the same hushed tones. "Your father took away your position?"

"I didn't follow instructions." Arthur ate another spoonful of gruel. "You should eat up. Aren't you also on clean-up duty?"

Rolling his eyes, Mordred stuffed some food in his mouth. "I am always on clean-up duty. All the lowly jobs that no one wants to do."

"Somebody has to do them. Plus I am prince and I scrubbed the decks with you today." Not he enjoyed any bit of the physical labour he had to do. Still, being out and about, with the endless blue sky above him, was far better than being stuck in that tiny bunk. And he also had tonight to look forward to.

"You're looking at her again."

Arthur shook his head, hoping that the sinking sun hid the heat in his cheeks. "I'm just looking at the sea."

Mordred gave a scoff of disbelief. "I hate them all."

"Because you're on clean-up duty?" But it was clear Mordred had sunk back into his petulant mood and aside from a few grunts, Mordred withdrew from any communication with Arthur. Around them, the rest of the crew laughed and chatted as they finished dinner. A few cast suspicious glances at him but Arthur simply ignored them. He had great practice at ignoring disapproving looks.

"Come on." He nudged Mordred at the end of dinner. "We'll clean up together."

"You're a prince. You shouldn't let them treat you like this." Mordred got to his feet.

"You forget, I'm also a prisoner who would really rather remain alive. Now come on."

+

"I don't know what you're playing at but if you hurt Gwen in any way, you won't get off this ship alive."

Tearing his gaze from the sky, Arthur saw Merlin approaching him. "Going to kill me with your magic?"

"Not now. But I can, quite easily."

"This is how she maintains her reputation isn't it? Your magic."

Merlin stopped next to him. "It helps. But Gwen is a capable captain."

"You mean bloodthirsty and cruel. I've heard all the stories. She learnt well from her father. And with magic now."

"She isn't –" Then Merlin paused, sucking in a breath before continuing. "Yes, she is. Don't mess with her."

"I wouldn't have to. Once my father discovers I've been taken, he'll destroy all of you. He's been itching to for years and now you've given him a reason. He'll be especially pleased to capture you, knowing how he feels about the dark art."

Merlin tensed. "Your father has no understanding of magic."

"You use it in aid of a pirate. I think he has a very good understanding of the corrupting nature of magic," said Arthur.

So quietly Arthur wasn't sure he heard correctly, Merlin said, "Magic is not evil."

He didn't think Merlin wanted to listen to his father's tirade against magic so Arthur said nothing. He gripped the sides of the ship and stared into the dark depths. "I hear you're hunting for the Fisher King's treasure."

"Is that a crime as well?" Merlin asked coldly.

Arthur shook his head. "Many people have sought it. None has been successful."

"It's strange isn't it? Since everybody knows where it went down." Merlin replied, the hostility in his voice gone.

"So why look for it? It's in treacherous waters. Surely it'll be easier for you to plunder a ship if you're running low on supplies. In fact," Arthur said slowly, "if you are running low on supplies, why didn't you plunder my ship?"

"Guess she thought it wasn't worth plundering." Merlin ran a hand through his hair, then turned away.

Narrowing his eyes, Arthur moved over to where Merlin had to look at him. "I was captaining a royal ship. There's no better ship to plunder."

"Well, it was nice talking to you. It's about time for me to – uh – eat my supper."

Slightly confused at the sudden change of topic, Arthur stared at Merlin. "You just finished dinner."

"I know I look skinny and all but I need a constant supply of food." Merlin walked away. "And remember, Gwen might think it's fine for you to wander the ship, but do anything funny and I'll kill you." And then he was disappearing below the decks.

Maybe magic made people weird as well. Arthur turned his attention back to the sea. It lapped gently against the sides of the ship, so unlike the violent pounding it subjected the ship to the night before. Just like Gwen. One moment, she was the responsive, sexy siren in his arms and the next, she was the infamous Captain Guinevere.

"Merlin said I would find you here. Enjoying your freedom?" As if conjured up by his thoughts, Gwen appeared on the deck, still dressed in her usual white shirt and dark trousers. Her hair, though, was not in its usual braid. The ocean breeze lifted her hair, whipping it around her face and Arthur watched as her slender fingers fought with the wind for control over her hair.

"The fresh air is good," he replied, walking towards her. He gestured around the deck. "The constant guard, not so much."

Her smile was slight. "Don't forget you're still my captive."

"As if I would ever forget that. Now, what orders do you have for me?" As exhausted as Arthur was physically, he found himself hoping that she wasn't about to order him to his bunk.

"Come with me." Without even waiting to see if he followed, Gwen turned on her heel and walked off, her hips swaying temptingly as her hands continued to push hair off her face.

+

In most of his relationships, Arthur had always been in control but now, as Gwen pinned his arms to the side as her very naked body slid up against his own naked body, he never felt happier to relinquish that control.

"Are you going to kiss me yet? Or are you planning to rub yourself against me the whole night?"

"That's the problem with princes," murmured Gwen, her hair falling over his face, tickling him, "all of you want everything now."

"And you've been with many princes?" Lifting his head, he tried to capture her lips but she ducked, then grinned at him.

"Many," she said, her head dipping to his shoulder, her tongue and teeth teasing him. In response, he lifted his hips, smiling when she sucked in a breath.

"Look, Captain, I have a full day of physical labour tomorrow so I need my sleep."

Gwen stopped nibbling at his shoulders and looked at him. Then she laughed. Ignoring the warmth that curled in his stomach at her laugh, Arthur took advantage of her distraction to flip them around, so he straddled her. Without a word, he took one breast in his mouth, suckling her the way he knew she liked and on cue, she moaned, her fingers dug into his hair as she writhed under him.

One of her hands snaked down to cup his butt, urging him to move against her as her lips found his ear, seemingly simultaneously whispering his name urgently and nibbling at his ear lobe. His hands skimmed the side of her body until her reached her hips.

"Now," she said, pressing her warmth up into him. "Now."

Positioning himself, he slid into her slowly. And like she did every time he entered her, she sighed his name and his heart did a little jump.

Gwen, he learnt very quickly over the past few nights, was a cuddler. After sex, she was all soft, affectionate and sleepy. So it was no surprise that she curled into him in the aftermath of their exertions. Arthur didn't like it. This whole cuddling thing after sex was far too intimate for him.

"How's Mordred," she asked as she buried her face in his neck. Immediately, he slipped his arm around her and tucked her closer.

"Despite Mordred's best efforts, I like him. Elena thinks the whole thing is hilarious." He felt her lips curve into a smile against his bare skin. "Where did you pick up Mordred from anyway?"

Gwen yawned, then pressed her lips against him. "There was a storm and the ship he was on was having trouble. Percy noticed them so we headed towards them –"

"To prey on their misfortune."

His interruption made Gwen stiffen. Then she pulled herself out of his embrace and out of bed. "Yes and somehow, Mordred snuck on board our ship. You've done your duty tonight."

With a huff, Arthur shrugged his shirt on, then his trousers. "Good night, captain."

She said nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

From her vantage point on the poop deck, Gwen watched as her crew went about their duties as the morning sun rose over them. Merlin and Percy were deep in discussion over how best to reach the Fisher King while Elena bossed the crew around. It no longer surprised Gwen that her eyes immediately drifted to where Arthur and Mordred were. He smiled at Mordred and Gwen felt her heart warm. Annoyed, she turned away. He thought she was an immoral, violent pirate and she knew he was the son of the man who cruelly murdered her father. And yet, every night she invited him to her bed, and every night for a few hours, they existed in a world that only had them. It was dangerous. She almost wanted the Pendragon navy to find them quickly and take back their prince.

"I admit, he is good looking." Merlin leaned against the railing, arms crossed and looked at her. "But of all the men, the prince of Camelot, whose father is about to launch an attack on us?"

"Have we got a plan?" Arthur and Mordred were arguing about something and Gwen tore her eyes from them.

Merlin shook his head. "I can probably get the Excalibur through the waters. Percy is an excellent navigator and with some magic, we should be alright, but after that? You know the stories they tell."

"Did you speak to Kilgarrah?"

"Yeah, but he's as vague as ever. He said something about love, courage and magic and needing all three to come together."

"I get the courage and magic but love?" Gwen sighed. "We still need to try. Supplies are running low."

"No one has succeeded before."

Gwen raised a hand. "Don't tell me to plunder a ship."

"I'm not Elena. Speaking of, she's on her way over, probably to tell you to plunder a ship. I'm going to check the charts again." Merlin patted her on the shoulder as he walked away.

A slight twinge of jealousy tugged at Gwen as Elena, on tip toe, gave Percy a kiss. The moment of tenderness on her face faded as her eyes met Gwen. Shaking her head, Gwen sighed. "No, I am not plundering a ship."

"You should have plundered the royal ship. Although, I suppose you did take the most valuable thing from the ship." There was smirk on Elena's face. "Even if we starve, you'll be satisfied in the bedroom."

Quickly, Gwen grabbed Elena's hand, dragging her to somewhere further from where the crew were working. "Elena."

"I'm all for you getting your desires sated –"

"Elena!" Gwen shouted-whispered at her grinning friend.

Elena lowered her voice. "I assume since he's been in your bed every night the last three nights, he must at least be decent."

Gwen opened her mouth, then realized she had no idea how to respond to Elena, so she closed it again.

"So," Elena bumped Gwen's hip, "Lancelot or Arthur? Who is better in bed?"

Her laughter was a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "Elena!"

"Pity I don't share my partners, because Percy?" With a cheeky grin, Elena hummed in satisfaction. Raising her hand, she waved at an unsuspecting Percy who waved back. "I would have never have expected this from you, not that I disapprove." Then the twinkle in Elena's eyes faded. "Don't get emotionally involved."

Gwen scoffed. "I won't. I've learnt my lesson since Lancelot."

"You love too much, Gwen. You care too much." Elena slung an arm around her shoulders. "You care so much you can't even be a proper pirate."

"I'm sorry." With a sigh, Gwen slid down and settled on the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I know I haven't been great at this whole pirate thing."

"Someone once said, a two year track record isn't bad." Elena sat down next to Gwen.

Gwen reached over and squeezed Elena's hand. "You're a great friend, you know. You and Merlin. For sticking with me. I'm sure any decent pirate ship would love to have you."

"Captain! We're approaching!"

* * *

It was like night and day. One moment they had been sailing through calm seas, then suddenly the seas turned choppy, the wind roared against the sails which Percy was desperately directing the crew to take down and the sky turned an ominous grey.

Even Mordred couldn't hide his fear behind his usual sullenness.

"What is happening?" Mordred stopped scrubbing and stared at the sky. Next to him, Arthur stilled as well.

"It must be the Fisher King." Arthur had heard all the stories of the cursed ship. In the beginning, his own father had sent his own ships – some he'd even captained himself - to get to the treasure. None had returned successful. "You wait here."

"Why?" asked Mordred mutinously. "I want to -"

Grabbing his shoulders, Arthur forced Mordred to look at him. "Firstly, you haven't finished your work. Secondly, let me find out what is happening first. Remember what I said about proving your worth?"

Mordred rolled his eyes but repeated obediently. "I need to prove I deserve to be trusted."

"And?"

"And being an ass isn't going to achieve anything."

Arthur grinned. "Remember that." He slapped Mordred's back. "And as you contemplate my wise words, scrub that spot." Jumping up, he strode onto the main deck, the pouring rain striking him and soaking his shirt. The rain blurred his vision but he could see Percy giving directions to the riggers while Elena checked on the guns. Merlin and Gwen stood on the quarterdeck, both with identical worried expressions.

"Hey!" He waved at them. "What's going on?"

Merlin was the first to respond. "What are you doing here? You're –"

"You're really going to try and get the Fisher King's treasure, aren't you? It's a pointless trip!"

"If we wanted your opinion, captive, we would ask you," snapped Elena from behind.

Thunder roared overhead and the rain came down even harder. Arthur put an arm up over his head, useless he knew as protection against the rain, and moved closer to Gwen and Merlin.

"I think wanting to know if I'm going to die in a pointless quest is perfectly reasonable."

Elena harrumphed. "See what you've done, Gwen, giving him this much freedom. We should –"

"Elena!" Gwen took a step towards him. "Yes. We're approaching the Fisher King. If you're afraid, then you can go hide in your bunk."

He dragged a hand through his wet hair. "I could do that. Or I could tell you how I navigated through this area the last time I was here."

The shock that appeared on Gwen's face pleased him for reasons he refused to delve into.

"You've been here?"

Arthur nodded. "My father sent several ships to look for the treasure."

"I'm not sure how useful he's going to be, seeing he clearly didn't succeed before," muttered Merlin. "Look, Percy is ready at the wheel. I'm going to help him."

Gwen's eyes met his. The ship tilted suddenly, sending Arthur slamming into the side of the ship. He heard Gwen gasp, just as Merlin caught her. Percy yelled for everyone to hold on. Looking at Gwen, Arthur addressed Merlin. "I may not have gotten to the treasure but I did manage to get past this blasted storm."

"There's no way the Excalibur can navigate through such waters. Not without considerable risk. Even with Merlin's help." Percy yelled.

"There's a place we can anchor the ship, then make the rest of the way across in a boat," said Arthur, raising his voice over the roaring storm. The rain stung as it fell on him.

Percy's gaze flickered from Gwen's to Arthur's. Gwen nodded.

"Alright, come up here and tell me more." Steadying himself, Arthur slowly made his way to where Percy was, very aware of Gwen's eyes on him. Merlin followed behind.

"So what do you suggest?" Percy's hands gripped the wheel, holding it firm despite the battering wind that only seemed to get stronger. "Elena! Get the crew off the deck! Captain -"

"No!" Gwen yelled, one hand on the bulwark and the other shielding her face. "I'm not going anywhere."

The ship lurched again as a sudden wave smashed into them, and Gwen stumbled, despite the hold she had on the bulwark, her legs buckling under her as she fell. Arthur's heart jumped and he was just about to rush over to her when Merlin, halfway up the quarterdeck, turned around to get to her. His lithe body easily worked in tandem with the rolling ship, allowing him to reach Gwen quickly.

Arthur looked away, back at the stretch of dark, rough ocean.

"Reaching the rocks over there is the easy bit – relatively," said Arthur to Percy. "I assume Merlin's tricks will be of assistance?"

Percy nodded, his lips drawn into a tight line as he stared out into the dark.

"If we can maneuver the ship to beyond that cove, we can anchor it there and use the boats to get to where the Fisher King supposedly sank."

"What's the catch?" Percy shifted slightly as Merlin and Gwen joined them on the quarterdeck. The rain still poured down on them, soaking them all. Gwen's shirt clung to her, made transparent by the rain, distracting Arthur.

Percy cleared his throat. "Uh," said Arthur, trying to remember Percy's question. "Everyone knows where the Fisher King sank, and you can see parts of it from the distance, but no matter how much you paddle towards it, you never reach it. Then there are the sea creatures."

"Magic," said Merlin. "That's the only explanation."

Percy nodded again. "What do you want to do, Gwen?"

Looking at her, Arthur noticed the uncertainty in her troubled eyes. "A sensible captain would turn back," he said.

"Don't listen to him, Gwen." Merlin moved closer to her, as if trying to protect her from Arthur. Annoyance immediately rose in Arthur.

"We'll take it step by step. To the cove, then we'll assess our options." Her fingers played with her wet braid and Arthur noticed that she looked at everyone but him.

Percy nodded, then looked at Arthur. "You will help guide us?"

"I want to live, don't I?"

* * *

It wasn't easy but between Percy, Arthur and Merlin, they managed to steer the ship into the cove through the storm before noon arrived. Merlin was right about the magic. The moment they entered the cove, the weather took a sudden turn for the better.

For now, the ship was anchored and Gwen had ordered the crew to rest. Later, they would attempt to row towards the Fisher King. Arthur was right. From where she stood on the deck, she could see parts of the sunken ship. It looked like an easy journey to get from where they were anchored to the Fisher King, but Gwen was also well aware that looks could be deceiving. Her fingers flexed against the bulwark and she closed her eyes, relishing the spray of the ocean on her face. She loved the ocean but as Elena pointed out time and time again, they couldn't live on past treasures alone. And if they failed to reach the Fisher King and unearth its treasure, she might have to give up Excalibur for good. That thought alone made her heart hurt.

"It may look easy but I can tell you it's not." Arthur suddenly appeared beside her. Opening her eyes, she allowed herself a moment to soak him in. Only his damp hair suggested he'd been caught in a storm.

"What happened the times you tried?"

"The first time, we never even got this far." Arthur leaned against the ship and stared out. "It was my first outing as captain and I was keen to prove myself. So I made them sail through the storm despite advice from more experienced crew."

"And?"

"And? And four of them died." Pushing his hair off his face, Arthur grimaced. "Four people who would have lived if not for me." He sighed, slumped a little and looked up into the sky. "I had to tell their families."

Tentatively, Gwen reached out a hand and touched his shoulder, wanting to provide relief. "Sailing is always dangerous."

His hand covered hers, his thumb rubbing against the side of her hand. A wry smile graced his face as he turned to her. "I could have made it less dangerous. There was no need to find the treasure. We didn't need the riches." He cleared his throat. "The next time, I worked out this plan – that if we managed to anchor at this cove, we could row to the Fisher King. We got this far. Then it – well, it didn't go as badly as the first time – but it wasn't good."

"How bad?"

"There's magic. You can feel it in the air. And it protects the Fisher King. No matter how much you row, you never get any closer to it. And there's the sea creatures – ugly, monstrous creatures, always lurking, ready to attack if you let your guard down. Eventually, you either give up or you die of exhaustion. I wasn't about to allow more crew to die on me." He shrugged, pulling his hand and hers from this shoulder, so they stood side by side, hand in hand. "Maybe Merlin with his magic will get you closer than I ever did. I admit, I am curious to see the Fisher King."

She should pull her hand away. Standing alone on the deck with him in this manner was far too intimate. She didn't. "Thank you."

"Most captors don't thank their captives," Arthur said, pulling lightly so she moved closer to him. With his other hand, he cupped her face, tilting it up slightly. "Tell me, Captain Guinevere. Why are you so determined to get the Fisher King's treasure, despite how dangerous it is for your crew?"

His eyes bore into her and for a foolish moment, Gwen thought that he could see into her heart and see her fears and worries. "Can you imagine my reputation if I do successfully get to the Fisher King's treasure?"

"Always the cold-blooded pirate queen," he murmured as his thumb rubbed against her cheek. "And yet, sometimes, it feels like it's a mask you wear."

Immediately, she protested. "I don't know –"

But her words were cut off when his lips landed on hers, coaxing her to open up to him. He let go of her hand so he could wrap his arm around her and pull her flush against him. She fisted his shirt. Her eyes closed as she gave herself up to the feel of him.

"Come on," he rasped into her ear. "We have some free time."

Gwen nodded, heat burning through her veins, took his hand again and led him down to her bunk. But even before they reached her door, Arthur had her shirt buttons undone. Outside, he pressed her up against the wall next to her door, suckling on her neck as he deftly unbuttoned her shirt fully.

"Do you know how much I wanted you when you stood there, soaking wet in the storm, your shirt completely see through?"

She shook her head, her mind not quite making sense of his words. His hands were on her trousers, unfastening them and she dug hers through his hair as he searched for her lips.

"I can't get enough of you," Gwen groaned, her hips moving, trying to ease the ache that throbbed between her legs.

He nipped at her lips. "Neither can I." He crushed his lips to hers.

Voices floated towards them and Gwen remembered they were still in public. Dropping her hands from him, she felt for her door, then pushed strongly, sending her and Arthur tumbling into her bunk. She stumbled and felt Arthur's arm go round her, pulling her close.

"You alright?" He looked at her, the lust in his eyes dampened by concern. "Hmm?"

Something shifted in her at that look. Swallowing, she nodded, then kissed him, hoping to rid herself of that strange feeling in her stomach. Desire easily took over and she lost herself in the feel of his hands running over her heated skin.

He moved so that she was again pressed against a wall. By now, she'd somehow lost her trousers as well and was completely naked. The wooden wall was rough against her back but she didn't care. What she cared about was that Arthur be as naked as her, then give her the release she so desperately needed.

With trembling fingers, she undid his breeches. He shrugged off his shirt, then pinned her even more firmly to the wall with his chest.

"Arthur," she whispered, as she took his earlobe between her teeth. Spreading her legs, she wriggled against him, shuddering with every little movement.

"Gwen," he said and he thrust into her.

* * *

She could barely keep her eyes open but the sun was setting soon and she could hear her crew up and about, preparing for dinner. Arthur's steady breath blew against her nape, his chest against her back, one arm draped across her hip. She nudged him gently, heard him mumble something before he released his hold on her and stretched.

"Did I fall asleep?" His hair was all tousled and he looked sleepily at her.

"I have to get up," Gwen said but made no move to get up. Instead, she ran her hand across his chest, eliciting a smile from Arthur. He caught her hand, threading his fingers through hers.

"This doesn't seem like you getting up." And before she could answer, he kissed her lightly, just a brief brush of his lips across hers. Then his smile faded and his voice cooled. "You have an important quest to plan for. There's a lot of treasure at stake."

The reminder of the Fisher King washed away the feeling of warm contentment that had taken up residence in her earlier. It made her finally leave the bed and pull on some clothes.

Arthur still lounged on the bed. Gwen could feel his eyes on her and it both aroused her and made her nervous. "I still don't get your determination to continue on this pointless quest. If I were a cold-blooded pirate and I needed money, I'd just go plunder a ship. There are so many of them around, and so many without even the least competent crew."

"You don't need to understand it," said Gwen coolly as she fastened her trousers. "You said you'd help and that's all you need to do."

"You're Captain Guinevere, scourge of the seven seas. Why the need to prove yourself?"

Gwen turned back sharply and glared at Arthur. "We may spend a lot of time having sex, but that doesn't mean you know me."

He stretched, his muscles moving in ways that made Gwen want to straddle him again. "That's the problem. You confuse me."

"I don't know what you mean," she said, turning her back on him.

"If your reputation is to be believed –"

She whirled back again, this time with her cutlass drawn. "If? My reputation is not a lie." Even as she said the words with all the confidence she could muster, Gwen wondered if Arthur could hear her heart beating.

He jumped out of the bed, pushing her cutlass away. "I'm tired of you pointing that at me. I've given you no reason to distrust me this week."

"I wouldn't trust you as far as I can throw you."

"You are supposed to be the most feared pirate in Albion. Blood-thirsty, merciless, cold. But you're also the pirate who took in a young boy who is the biggest pain I've ever encountered, the pirate who, instead of slaughtering all my men and stealing from my ship, put the fire out then let them return home." He reached up and touched her chin. "Who are you, Guinevere?"

She swallowed but found herself unable to tear her gaze from his or move from his light touch. "I am who I am."

"I don't even know why I care," said Arthur, shaking his head, then he leaned down and kissed her angrily. She dropped her cutlass and fisted her hands in his hair as the kiss gentled.

It was her who pulled back, breaking the kiss. And it was her who took the step back, and fled the room as calmly as she could, trying to steady her spiraling emotions and thumping heart.


	5. Chapter 5

"I found your shirt," said Elena as they sat slightly apart from the rest of crew during dinner. "This sex with your captive thing is getting kinkier, isn't it?"

Gwen flushed but continued to eat. Ignoring Elena was the best way to get her to shut up.

"We don't have to do this, you know." Elena continues, as if she had been talking about the Fisher King all the time. "Arthur is right. It's a suicide mission. I looked at our supplies – we have a few months left at least."

"And if we don't find another sunken ship with treasure in that time?"

Elena placed a hand on Gwen's shoulder. "We'll figure something out." Then she laughed. "Or we could plunder a ship. There's plenty to choose from."

"Elena!"

"I miss it, you know. The adrenaline of the chase, the power when they surrender to you and the anticipation of what you can find in their hold." Elena sighed. "I know it's bad and innocent people get hurt. I know you've never liked it."

Gwen looked at Elena. "What are you saying, Elena?"

"Yesterday, the storm, the planning and the anticipation of tomorrow – I feel alive again. I love you, Gwen but I don't know if I can be happy simply sailing the seas." Elena took Gwen's hands. "I am a bad person, aren't I?"

"You want to leave?" Gwen asked, a chill enveloped her. "What about Percy?"

"He's as soft inside as you," said Elena with a wry smile. "I don't know. I've been feeling restless the past few months."

"Yeah, I know. I tried to ignore it." Gwen squeezed Elena's fingers, blinking back tears which stung her. "You don't have to stay on the Excalibur for me."

Elena laughed again. "Hey, don't get all gloomy on me. I haven't said I was leaving for sure. You should think about whether you want to stay on the Excalibur as well."

"Why would I leave the Excalibur?"

"Because," said Elena softly, "you haven't been that happy either, pretending to be someone you're not."

"I love Excalibur. I love the sea." Gwen shook her head. "And Excalibur is all I have of my father."

Elena smiled slightly at Gwen and said nothing.

* * *

"I want to go on the cockboat as well," said Mordred.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "You're inexperienced and frankly, haven't been very good at obeying instructions. It's going to be a dangerous quest tomorrow and no one needs you screwing it up."

"I worked well today – listened to everything that annoying git –"

"Mordred!"

"I listened to everything Lockwood said. I was polite and all."

"Look, the captain hasn't made up her mind about what is going to happen tomorrow. If there's a place for you, I'll see what I can do." Arthur narrowed his eyes. "And if you let me down, I'll personally kill you."

Mordred shrugged. "I don't see why you care if I screw up. You should hate these people, not help them."

With a huff, Arthur shoved Mordred, then stood up. "Mind your own business." As he tossed his bowl at Mordred, Arthur walked away, Mordred's question pounding in his head. He didn't want to die, he told himself and if helping them was the price to pay, then so be it. It had nothing to do with the way he felt whenever Gwen smiled.

From the corner of his eye, Arthur saw Merlin walking towards him. He stopped, letting Merlin catch up.

"What do you suggest for tomorrow?" Merlin was the first to speak. He sounded almost friendly. "I've been studying the magic surrounding us and it's protective magic, not really aggressive magic. Someone wants to keep people out. I wonder what's so precious that they cast a spell like this before sinking."

"What we see of the Fisher King is an illusion, isn't it? That's why it keeps moving."

Merlin nodded. "Good point."

"There's a point in which we found that we can't pass, like a veil, and the only solution seems to go around. That's when the trouble starts. It's easy to get lost."

"And the sea creatures?" asked Merlin. "What are they like?"

Arthur shuddered. "They are half human, half fish. And their calls make your blood run cold and they try to pull you into the sea."

Merlin pursed his lips. "Mer-people. Again, they're protecting something. If only we knew what."

"Seems too much trouble for just gold," said Arthur. "Oh, the mer-people don't like fire. Do you have something to counter that protective magic?"

"Don't know till I try." They had almost reached the quarterdeck where Gwen, Elena and Percy were looking at some maps.

Gwen was the first to look up and their eyes met. A slight smile crossed her face and Arthur found himself smiling back.

"Where's the impassable point, Arthur?" Merlin shoved the maps towards him.

"Around here, after these rocks. And here," Arthur jabbed at the map. "Here's where the – what do you call them Merlin?"

"Mer-people."

"Here's where they tend to attack."

"Arthur says they are afraid of fire." Merlin pointed out.

Elena grinned. "I'm on that."

"If this point is impassable and if the mer-people are here," Gwen leaned over the map. "Then, if Merlin is right and something is being protected, it must be here."

Arthur looked at where her finger lay, and nodded. "It seems logical."

"So that's where we have to get to." Percy pulled the map towards him, to study it. "Who's coming?"

* * *

"Is that another illusion? Mordred rowing the boat?"

"He's not a bad kid, Elena." Arthur pushed his own oar into the swirling water. "Give him a chance."

Elena scoffed, then made her way to where Percy and the others were. He let his eyes linger a little on Gwen's back, the curve of her hips, the long line of her neck and the few strands of hair that escaped her usual braid and fluttered against her face. Evil or not, there was no denying that he was incredibly attracted to her. He hated how drawn to her he was. Why couldn't she be one of the ladies of his court?

"I hate rowing," grumbled Mordred.

"You wanted on the boat," said Arthur. "So shut up and continue rowing."

"Can I ask you something?"

Arthur sighed, pushing his oar into the water. "What is it?"

"You're always going on about me listening to instructions. Is it because your dad punished you for not following instructions?"

His father's long lecture flashed into his mind. The memory of his father telling the court that he was no longer head of the Camelot Navy still hurt. "My father wanted me to get rid of the druids anchored at our borders."

"And?"

"And I didn't."

Mordred turned his head back. "You defied your father."

"Yeah. But it wasn't something I did because I was feeling sulky or because I wanted to punish him."

"Alright, I get the point," said Mordred. Then after a while, he asked, "So why did you?"

"Sometimes, people want you do things that are wrong."

Mordred twisted to look at Arthur again. "Your father is the King!"

"And he's human too. Do you hear that?"

"The whistling?"

Cold fear wrapped its hand around his heart as memories of his last attempt flooded him. Arthur dropped his oar and stood up, easing his way to the front. "Captain. Merlin. They're here."

When Gwen's eyes opened, Arthur had to push down the need to reassure her it would be fine.

"I've got the torches ready and the cotton plugs," said Elena. "Are you ready Merlin?"

"Kilgarrah will be here. I think he already is," said Merlin, lifting his eyes to the skies. "He's not a fan of killing magical creatures."

"We're not going to kill them," gasped Gwen. "Just stop them from killing us."

Arthur stared at her, her genuine distress that the mer-people might die confused him. But before he could contemplate Gwen longer, the whistling got louder. "Put the cotton plugs in your ears. We need to get ready. Hand out the torches."

Elena was already giving out the torches and ear plugs, and yelling instructions to the rowing crew. Grabbing a torch from her, Arthur went back to his place on the crew. Mordred stared at him.

"What's happening? What's with the torches?" Mordred asked as Arthur settled down behind him.

"Just row and no matter what happens, don't touch the water. If anything appears, light your torch. And put the ear plugs on."

Arthur shoved the cotton into his ears, grabbed his oar, thrusting it into the water. The whistling was getting louder and some of the crew had abandoned rowing, their hands over their ears as they squirmed. In the front of the boat, he saw Merlin waving his arms about – performing some magic Arthur supposed. With the mer-people converging on them, they were clearly about to reach the veil.

Arthur peered into the water, watching as dark shadows began to rise to the surface.

They were here.

"Elena!" he yelled, waving his arm to catch her attention.

Elena jumped to action. "Torches! Light them but don't do anything!"

Some did as they were told, but some, shaken by the hair-raising whistles, were frozen in place.

"Plugs! Put them in your ears!" yelled Arthur. He stood, his torch lit, just as one bony hand reached into the boat. With a scream, Mordred jerked back, his oar dropping into the sea. At the same time, a commotion broke out at the back of the boat.

"Your torch!" Arthur mimed moving the torch, unsure if Mordred could hear him. "Mordred, sweep the flame over the water. The mer-people don't like fire."

A whole school of mer-people were clawing at the back of the boat, their weight pulling the boat down. He swung his torch above them and they shrank away. A quick look behind him and Arthur saw that the whole boat was now surrounded by mer-people, their scales glistening in the sun as they reached into the boat. Percy, Gwen and Elena were spread across the boat, desperately trying to keep them away. When Gwen stumbled a little and it looked like a hand might reach her, Arthur's heart stopped and he had to stop himself from going to her. Percy was near her and he was the only one at the back of the boat.

"No!" Arthur lunged and grabbed hold of a young female crew who had almost fallen overboard. Frustration and fear swirled in him, like the churning water below him, and he yelled at her. "Your torch!"

It was a mess. People were running around, swinging their torches haphazardly – Arthur was amazed the boat didn't catch fire – despite Elena and Percy's best efforts at organizing them. At times, the boat would tilt dangerously, until one of them rushed over to frighten away the mer-people who were clambering onto the boat.

The water was now completely black which meant more of them were approaching. There were two things they could do – leave the area or bring on more firepower. He swung his torch over the water again, pushing some of the more frightened crew back to the safer parts of the boat. Every now and then, he glanced back at where Gwen was doing the same. It was one of these glances that he realized that Merlin was looking up into the sky. Arthur directed his gaze up as well.

For a while, Arthur saw nothing. Then a small speck appeared, growing larger and larger until Arthur realized that he was looking at the much mentioned Kilgarrah, Merlin's pet dragon. Having never seen it before, Arthur had almost thought it was something like an invisible friend, but the heat from the fire it breathed across the water proved it was not a figment of Merlin's imagination.

He yanked a few of the crew back from the edge of the boat and they all huddled in the middle of it, staring as Kilgarrah frightened away the mer-people.

"Amazing," said Gwen and he turned, surprised that she was now standing next to him. There was a scratch across her face and he gently ran his finger across it. She winced and he smiled in sympathy.

"I've heard of dragons but I've never seen one before." Somehow, their hands become entwined and they stood in the middle of the boat, with the crew, Percy, Elena and Mordred and watched in awe as Kilgarrah single-handedly chase the mer-people away.

Every flap of Kilgarrah's wings rocked the boat although he kept his distance.

"I see you've found courage," Kilgarrah said. "Perhaps you will succeed where others have failed."

"You're doing it again!"

Something that sounded like a chuckle emitted from the dragon. "Young warlock, if I tell you everything, where is the fun in that?"

"Thank you, Killy."

"Good luck!" With those words, Kilgarrah flew off.

Elena sighed. "I love Kilgarrah. So strong, so powerful."

Beside him, Gwen laughed and shook her head while Percy simply grinned at her. "You're his biggest fan," teased Gwen, leading Elena to bumping her shoulder affectionately.

"The veil is up ahead," said Merlin, disrupting the brief moment of light-heartedness. "In a few moments, we might be the first people who will get to see what lies behind it."

Gwen's hand squeezed his and he looked at her. "Shall we?" Arthur asked quietly. Gwen nodded, then looked at Percy, then at the thick fog that blanketed the way forward.

"Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted the first 5 chapters in a bit of a hurry, but I've gone back and made some minor edits. Nothing that impacts the story in any way. :)

You couldn’t see the veil but you could feel it, like cobwebs brushing across your skin. Gwen shuddered a little, her fingers still in Arthur’s, as if they were equals facing whatever was beyond the veil together. He must have noticed her shudder because he moved closer, so close she could feel his heat enveloping her.

“Who goes there?”

Their boat came to a jarring stop and Gwen tore her thoughts from Arthur. Letting go of his hand, she took a step forward, willing her pounding heart to calm down as she found herself face to face with a dwarf.

“I’m Guinevere, Captain of the Excalibur.” She lifted her chin and curled her hand around her cutlass. “Are you the one who is hiding the Fisher King?”

His grin was slow and enigmatic. “I am Grettir. You are the first to get past the protectors of the Fisher King. I am impressed.” Grettir’s eyes looked her up and down. “When I was told that you would be the one to breech the veil, I admit I was skeptical. But here you are.”

“Yes.” Gwen waited. It was obvious that Grettir was not finished.

“Not everyone can save the Fisher King,” said Grettir.

“But we can.” Gwen smiled as confidently as she could, although she had no clue as to what Grettir was talking about.

Grettir nodded. This time his gaze swept past Gwen and focused on Merlin, then Arthur. “Love, courage and magic – all together. The fates work in mysterious ways.”

As confused as she was, Gwen continued to smile. “She does.”

“Here,” Grettir reached out and took her hand, pressing a heavy, rusty key into her palm. “Together, you three may yet save the Fisher King.”

“What do you mean?” Arthur stepped forward. “The Fisher King is sunk. What is there to save?”

Grettir’s laugh was cold. “It’s a good thing they didn’t need intelligence.”

Beside her, Gwen felt Arthur stiffen and she was glad he didn’t have a weapon with him. Without thinking, she shifted closer to him, gently touching the back of his hand. Immediately, he wrapped his fingers around hers.

"What are we supposed to do?" Merlin asked, moving to flank her other side.

“What do I look like? A guide to the rescue of the Fisher King?” And with those words, he disappeared right in front of their eyes.

Elena gaped. “Did that just happen?”

“If by that, you mean did a dwarf tell us to rescue a ship that sank over a year ago? Then yes,” said Arthur. “What on earth is happening here?”

“Magic.”

“Of course it’s magic!” Arthur scoffed. “Look, can we just row towards where the Fisher King is, get her treasure and leave?”

Elena whirled on Arthur. “Have you forgotten you’re our prisoner? The only person who gets to give orders is Gwen.”

“I am not giving orders. I am being practical,” snapped Arthur. “Gwen?”

“I should just put the shackles –“

“Stop it,” said Gwen. “Arthur is right. We should go in, get the treasure and leave.”

Merlin nodded. “I agree. I don’t like the feel of this place.”

“Full of dark magic, that’s why,” muttered Arthur.

“Arthur!” Gwen glared at him. He looked at her, his lips drawn tight together but said nothing. He dropped her hand and Gwen hated how bereft she felt when he did that. “Percy, let’s go.”

Without a word, Arthur turned and returned to his place behind Mordred. Elena looked at her questioningly but she just shrugged. It was a good reminder that Arthur wasn’t a friend. He was a prisoner.

Only the splash of the waves against the sides of the boat and the rhythmic sound of the oars hitting the water accompanied them as they rowed forward. The fog only got thicker the further they travelled and the eerie silence sent a chill through Gwen. The crew worked doggedly, pushing forward through the fog. She stood next to a focused Percy and stared out at the sea. Was she doing the right thing? Was she leading her best friends into a death trap?

“We’ll make it,” said Merlin, quietly. “We always do, don’t we?”

She looked at him gratefully. “Thank you.”

“I have to admit that Arthur is pretty useful. Maybe you can persuade him to join our crew.”

That made Gwen laugh, until she remembered Elena’s hint about leaving. “I don’t know if there will be a crew anymore.”

“What are you saying?” Merlin asked.

Gwen shook her head. “Nothing. You never know what the future brings. Merlin?”

“You’re right. We never –“

“No, Merlin. I see the Fisher King.” Percy had clearly seen it too, signaling the crew to slow down. Elena moved from the back of the boat to join them as they stared at the looming ship in front of them.

“It didn’t sink,” said Gwen, frowning. “Every one said it sank.”

Percy shrugged. “It’s grounded – the waters here are very shallow. But it’s certainly not sunk. What do you want to do now?”

“Go on board.” Her heart started to speed up. “Not all of us. You and Elena stay here to look after the boat and the crew. If anything goes wrong, you are to go back to Excalibur.”

“Gwen,” said Elena.

Raising a hand and silencing Elena, Gwen continued. “You are not to attempt a rescue or anything like that. Understand?”

Percy shook his head but said nothing, his eyes resting on Elena. Elena looked back at him, then at Gwen. “Fine. You’re the captain. But you’d better return safe. Don’t take foolish risks.”

“Arthur needs to come with us.” Merlin said.

“What?”

“Why?”

“Kilgarrah said we needed love, courage and magic. And he called Arthur ‘courage’.”

“Are you sure?” asked Gwen. “That makes you ‘magic’. And I am ‘love’?”

A laugh exploded from Elena. “Of course you are ‘love’. Let me go get ‘courage’ for you.”

* * *

There was something about finally seeing the much talked about Fisher King in person. As it loomed in front of them, Arthur felt a chill ripple down him spine. How ironic it was that he successfully reached the Fisher King as a captive. Unconsciously, his gaze drifted to Gwen. She had done it. Another notch on her pirate belt, he guessed. Like him.

"Hey captive. Let's go." Elena walked up to him. "The captain needs you."

Suppressing the pleasure her words gave him, Arthur placed his oar down and stood slowly. "Why -"

"Don't talk," said Elena. "Just come with me."

Mordred immediately sprung up, his oar clattering loudly onto the seat. "I want to go too."

"No." Elena's response was curt.

"Why does he get to go and I -"

With a groan, Arthur turned to Mordred. "Shut up unless you want Elena to throw you overboard."

The familiar sulk settled on Mordred's face but he nodded. Arthur patted him on the shoulder, then continued on to the front of the boat. At his arrival, Merlin nodded. "Let's go."

"Wait. I'm not going on the ship unarmed." Elena scowled at him, unsurprisingly but when Gwen hesitated, uncertainty in her eyes, something far too close to hurt stung him.

"I wouldn't trust you as far as I can throw you." The words echoed in his head.

Coldly, he said, "I'm not about to attempt an escape here."

"Fine. Elena?" Gwen said, not without some reluctance which sent Arthur's mood plunging even more. He grabbed the sword Elena offered him with little grace then stalked towards the edge of the boat. They would need to wade through the rushing water to get to the Fisher King. Merlin joined him quickly, then he felt Gwen behind him.

Arthur jumped off the boat, slipping as he landed on a rock, gasping as freezing water seeped into his shoes. He quickly righted himself, then watched as Merlin gingerly hopped off the boat. When Gwen prepared to get off the boat, Arthur turned away and waded towards the Fisher King. The currents tugged against his feet, making progress slow. Arthur could hear Gwen and Merlin behind him, struggling through the water. His clothes were getting soaked and the chill in the air did little to make things easy for them.

It seemed to take forever, but finally, they stood next to the Fisher King. Carefully, Arthur raised his hand and placed it on the hull of the ship. It felt no different from any other ship, which he guessed was nothing surprising.

“Well,” said Merlin. “Shall we?” He gestured to a small opening further down the hull.

"Here goes nothing," said Gwen. Then, her hand wrapped tightly around her trusty cutlass, she walked toward the opening.

Arthur wasn't sure what he was expecting but he was expecting something. Not the chilly, musky, dark hold they stepped into. A hold that looked exactly like every other hold Arthur had seen. He wrinkled his nose. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he looked around. No treasure. What a wasted trip.

"There's nothing here! We should leave," said Arthur. "Then we can make it out of this area before sun set."

Gwen nodded but Merlin held up a hand. "I can sense something."

"Is it treasure?" Arthur asked.

"Maybe it's what we're supposed to save," said Gwen. "Where is it?"

"I think it's on the deck."

Arthur was about to protest, tell them that the sensible thing to do was leave when Gwen nodded. He knew then that despite her words, she was foolishly going to try and save it, whatever it was. She moved to the door of the hold and swallowing a sigh, Arthur reached for it. He wrapped his hand around the handle and yanked it open. The moment the door swung open, Arthur knew it was a huge mistake.

A large creature, a cat with wings, lurched towards the door. Arthur slammed it shut, shoved Gwen at Merlin then leaned heavily on the door as the creature scratched and screamed. Beneath him, the door shuddered and creaked. It wouldn't be long before it gave way.

"Get out of here!" he yelled to the stunned Merlin and Gwen. "Take Gwen and leave!"

He felt the claws sink into his shoulder first before he heard the wood behind him splinter.

"Arthur!"

He swore and clutched at his shoulder, spinning around to find himself face to face with the beast. Instinctively, he plunged the sword into the beast, drawing a blood curdling cry from it. Arthur's shoulder's throbbed but he pulled the sword out, readying himself to stab the beast again. The smell of blood permeated the air as Arthur's head began to swim. He hoped Gwen was alright. Another swipe which Arthur dodged, but he lost his balance, and slammed into the side of the hole. Despite that, he thrust his sword up, catching the beast in it's legs.

Then he heard a blast, lifted his head to see the beast flung backwards, then collapse into a heap.

Arthur closed his eyes as he slumped against the wall, suddenly painfully aware of his bleeding shoulder. "You should have done that sooner," he muttered.

"How could I, when you were flinging Gwen at me?" said Merlin as he squatted next to him. "How's the shoulder?"

"It's all good." A hand gently brushed against his cheek, then pressed at the edges of his wound. He opened his eyes and saw Gwen's dark eyes staring back at him. He attempted a smile. "I won't die." From the corner of his eyes, he saw Merlin walk over to the fallen creature. "Is that a good idea?" he muttered.

"I could have taken care of myself," said Gwen as she tore a piece of her shirt off, then wrapped it around his shoulder.

Arthur smiled wanly again. "I know. But better me than you." Then he closed his eyes again, enjoying the feel of Gwen's fingers against his skin and her breath against his face as she bandaged his wound.

"All done. We should leave," said Gwen quietly.

"It's a magical creature," called Merlin.

Arthur struggled to his feet. "Big surprise, Merlin."

"You don't understand. Come over."

With Gwen supporting him, Arthur moved slowly to where the creature lay, except Merlin was right. It wasn't that huge cat with wings anymore. Instead a young woman lay deathly still on her side, the wound Arthur inflicted bleeding.

"What the -. It was a monster!"

With a gasp, Gwen let go of Arthur and rushed over to the prone figure. Arthur watched as she gently examine the woman's wound.

"The bleeding won't stop. Is there anything you can do, Merlin?" She cast wide, worried eyes at Merlin who hesitated. "Please?"

"She's a monster," said Arthur as he stared at the woman. His skin prickled and he remembered all his father's rants about magic. Sure, Merlin probably wasn't evil but who knew about this woman-monster in front of him? "We should go."

"No!" There was genuine distress in her voice and Merlin immediately dropped down next to her.

Still in pain, Arthur stood apart from the two and watched them. Gwen's concern was palpable. She cradled the mystery woman's head in her lap, stroking her hair and murmuring something Arthur assumed was comforting. Merlin's hand moved over the wound, doing what looked like magic.

A warm light bathed the woman.

"I think I’ve managed to stop the bleeding and close the wound, but she’s still lost far too much blood.” Merlin said, wiping his hands on his trousers as he stood.

“You could have done the same for me.”

“Hey, using magic to heal is not something I take lightly. You never know what can go wrong.” Merlin smiled slightly.

The woman moved, her eyes opened slightly. Arthur watched as Gwen dipped her head and the woman said something. Then hands were moving while Gwen looked up at Merlin and Arthur.

“She gave me a vial, said I need to go through the locked door in the gun deck.”

Arthur really wanted to get back to the boat and then to Excalibur where he could lie down and rest his throbbing shoulder. But he took one look at Gwen’s face and he knew that she wasn’t about to accept his suggestion. So he said nothing and simply followed Gwen as she continued to make her way up the ship after telling Merlin to stay with the injured woman.

“Aren’t you being a little too trusting?” he finally asked.

She stopped walking. “Do you think it’s a trap?”

“Who knows what it is? She was a monster before she suddenly became a human.” He massaged his shoulder lightly.

“Grettir said we’re the ones to save the Fisher King,” said Gwen.

“Maybe. What if it is a trap?”

Gwen started to walk again. “I’m going up with or without you.”

“You can’t help yourself, can you?” asked Arthur. “You can’t stop yourself from helping others.”

She continued to climb the stairs. With a sigh, Arthur started up the stairs as well. Confused didn’t even begin to define what he thought of Gwen, much less how he felt about her. Lifting his sword, he moved as quickly as he could, refusing to question the sudden urge in him to protect her. When did being a captive become so complicated?

“This must be the door.” Gwen stopped, waiting till Arthur stood by her side. The moment he reached her, she glanced at him, then took out the rusty key from her pocket. Arthur closed his hand around hers.

“Are you sure?”

With a firm nod, Gwen pushed the key into the keyhole and turned it. Arthur raised his sword, half expecting another creature to leap at them from behind the door. But nothing did and they took a tentative step onto the main deck.

He noticed the chair first. Immediately he stuck his arm out, stopping Gwen from moving forward.

“Look.” Arthur gestured to the chair. He dropped his voice. “There’s someone on it.”

Pushing his arm away, Gwen stepped forward. “Hello? Are you alright?”

Arthur slipped his hand in hers and together they walked towards the cobweb-covered chair. Their footsteps echoed on the damp wood yet the person on the chair did not stir. The hair on his neck stood and Arthur gripped his sword even tighter, ignoring the twinge of pain in his shoulder. They rounded the chair and Gwen gasped.

Sat on the chair was a limp, grey figure, the movement of the chest suggesting he was still alive. Yet he was covered with cobwebs and a layer of dust. Arthur felt Gwen’s hand squeeze his before she let go. Then she took one step forward, reaching out to the figure. It didn’t move under her touch.

“The vial,” whispered Arthur. Since the key was of use, the vial probably was as well. “Pour the liquid on him.”

Arthur could see Gwen’s hand shake as she withdrew the vial from her pocket. He moved closer to her. Her eyes met his, and he nodded. Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips and she slowly lifted the vial and tilted it, letting one drop fall onto the figure.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, the figure glowed. A crackling sound filled the air and then in front of them, the cobwebs disappeared from the figure and some colour returned to it.

“It’s been a long time,” said the figure. “I am captain Pellam.”

“I’m captain Guinevere,” said Gwen quietly, obviously still feeling as stunned as Arthur. Then she shook her head. “I don’t understand. The ship sank.”

“I was wounded by magic, a wound that quickly spread to my whole body and the rest of my crew. My crew all died but I was kept in limbo between life and death, sitting here, unable to move. Only love, courage and magic could save me.”

Arthur still didn’t understand.

“What is in this vial?” Gwen asked.

“It’s the water from the Lake of Avalon. Keep it.” He smiled. “And the treasure you seek is in the captain’s cabin.”

“We can’t take your treasure,” said Gwen. Her answer no longer surprised Arthur.

“It’s yours. I have no need of it anymore. Now I need you to do one more thing. You have to kill me.”

“What?” Arthur said in shock. “We just saved you.”

Pellam nodded. “And for that I am eternally grateful but only the living can die. There is nothing left for me here. My crew is gone, my ship is gone. I should be dead.”

Gwen was shaking her head. “We can bring you to a town, you can get a new ship.”

“If you do not kill me, I will return to that limbo again in seconds.” He raised his arm slightly, showing them how it had already started to grey. “I cannot leave this ship. The magic of my wound ensures that.”

“Maybe Merlin can –“

Pellam raised his hand slowly. “No. You have to end my life. Please. Give me peace.”

Gwen stood unmoving. Realising she wasn’t about to do anything, Arthur raised his sword. “Are you sure? This is the only way?”

Pellam nodded. “I am ready. Thank you.”

With a swift move of his arm, Arthur slid the sword into Pellam’s chest. Pellam slumped over and within seconds, he stopped moving completely.

Gwen still stood in front, staring in horror at Pellam’s body. “How could you? How?” Her voice was barely a whisper, her knuckles white as she gripped the vial.

Feelings of protectiveness filled Arthur and he tucked her to him and led her out of the main deck back to where Merlin was.

“Where’s the woman?” asked Arthur.

Merlin shrugged. “She healed pretty quickly, thanked me and jumped into the sea.”

“That’s it?”

“Her name was Freya. I glad you two are alright.” Merlin peered at Gwen. “Gwen? Are you alright?”

“She’s a little upset right now. Take her back to the boat. I’m going to get the treasure.”


	7. Chapter 7

Elena combed through the treasure with undisguised glee. “This will last us for some time yet! We should celebrate!”

Leaning against the side of the Excalibur, Gwen tried to smile and share in Elena’s enthusiasm but all her mind could think of was the scene of Arthur killing Pellam. Anger rose in her and she clung to that. The moment they returned to the Excalibur, she’d demanded that Arthur return to his bunk. His surprise was obvious but he said nothing and left.

She felt Elena move closer to her. “What’s the matter?”

Before she could say anything, Merlin and Percy walked over and sat down. “Ale?” Merlin asked, passing around mugs. Silently, Gwen took one and watched as Elena snuggled into Percy. Merlin chattered on about the Fisher King and curses and why one shouldn’t mess with magic or magical creatures. There were laughter, smiles and a distinct sense of relaxation only Gwen still couldn’t get the image of Arthur stabbing Pellam out of her mind and with it, the quiet reminder of how much violence affected her. Elena's words returned to her - was she truly happy living like this, on the cusp of violence every day?

“Gwen? Hey!” Merlin’s voice broke into her thoughts.

Plastering a smile on her face, Gwen looked up at Merlin. “Sorry, I was thinking about how the treasure is going to tide us over for at least another year.”

Merlin’s answering smile was bright. “It was quite the adventure, wasn’t it and the haul was well worth it.”

“Yeah.”

“So we were thinking that this is a good time for us to stopover at a port. Percy says there’s a small one a day’s sail away.” Elena stretched out her legs.

“As long as it doesn’t belong to Camelot!” said Merlin.

With a roll of her eyes, Elena kicked Merlin lightly. “Of course we wouldn’t venture anywhere near Camelot waters.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” said Gwen flatly. She stood and faked a yawn. “I’m exhausted and I’m going to bed.”

Gwen barely took five steps before she felt Merlin’s hand on her shoulder. She stopped and let her eyes close.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Gently, Merlin turned her so she was facing him. Letting out a breath, Gwen opened her eyes.

“We killed captain Pellam.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “From what I heard, Arthur was the one who did the killing.”

“We could have found a cure, something. We didn’t have to kill him.” Arthur’s sword plunging into the frail captain’s chest, withdrawn coated with blood, played in her head again. “We didn’t have to kill him.”

Without a word, Merlin wrapped her in a hug, holding her close and rubbing her back. Her tears leaked onto his shirt and she tried to stifle a sob. It wasn’t just the killing of captain Pellam, it was everything – the stress of maintaining her life on Excalibur, the possibility that Elena would leave, the ache she felt every morning when Arthur left her bed – everything was a mess.

She didn’t know how long she stood there in Merlin’s arms but some time later, Merlin maneuvered the two of them onto a small bench in a quiet corner of the main deck. His hands tangled in hers, he asked softly what was wrong.

Tilting her head back, Gwen could see the sky, dark except for the twinkle of stars. The cool sea breeze brushed against her face, picking up the loose strands of her hair.

“There was no choice. Pellam was lost to this world long before we even arrived,” said Merlin. “I promise you Gwen."

She sniffed. "How do you know? You weren't there."

Merlin continued to rub her back. "Because Freya told me. Pellam angered the Old Religion. He was damned, no matter what. We did the best we could. We released Freya from her curse and gave Pellam peace.”

“You’re right.” At least, Gwen tried to believe he was right. She knew her smile was forced but she hoped that Merlin wouldn’t notice in the moonlight. “You’re right. You know what? Go celebrate with Elena and Percy.”

“And you?”

Rubbing the back of her neck, Gwen smiled again. “I’m going to bed.”

* * *

One would think that after all he had done, he would have been treated a little better. But no. The moment they set foot on Excalibur, Gwen coldly ordered him back to his cabin. They could have at least tended to his shoulder first. Technically he could walk out of his cabin – he’d been allowed to do so before – but with Gwen in that strange mood, he wasn’t about to chance her wrath. He kicked his bed, then realized that he was acting just like Mordred. With a sigh, Arthur flopped onto his bed. It had been almost two weeks since he had been taken captive. He was pretty sure that his father would have received the news by now.

He was glad, he told himself firmly. The Camelot navy would arrive and rescue him from this awful situation.

A knock disrupted his thoughts.

Then, much to his surprise, Gwen pushed the door open, slipped in and shut it behind her.

“Gwen,” he said, slightly confused by her expression.

“How’s your shoulder?” She took one step towards him, her hands reaching for the stained cloth wrapped around his shoulder. “The wound should be cleaned.”

Arthur nodded, examining her closely as she slowly unwrapped the cloth. She avoided eye-contact with him. The annoyance that he’d embraced earlier slipped away, replaced by concern. “Are you –“

“Let me get some water and clean bandages.” And then she was gone.

When she returned, Arthur sat quietly on the bed, letting her tend to his wound. He kept his gaze on her, watching as she expertly washed his wound, then wrapped it firmly. As she tucked the end of the bandage in, she ran her hand gently across his shoulder. He grabbed it and Gwen glanced up at him.

“Why are you here?”

“Someone had to tend to your wound.” She looked away again.

Arthur took her hand from his shoulder, holding it gently. “You could have sent anyone to tend to my wound.”

When she tried to pull her hand away, he tightened his hold. “Gwen.”

“Kiss me,” she said, her eyes finally meeting his. His first instinct was to say no, to push her to tell him why she was acting this way. But why did he even care? She’d taken him captive, for god’s sake. With a growl, he pulled her to him and kissed her, nipping her lips, his fingers digging into her waist as he held her as close as he possibly could, molding her curves to him.

But their kisses and touches softened after a while. Even as he kissed her, he cradled her gently, his hands cupping her face. He had kissed her enough these two weeks to realize that today, there was a vulnerability, a fragility in Gwen that he’d never felt before and it made him want to make all sorts of ridiculous promises about taking care of her.

Slowly, he sat on his uncomfortable bed, lifting her so she was on his lap. Immediately, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, looping her arms around him. Arthur undid her braid, then unbuttoned her shirt, sliding it off her shoulders before pressing kisses along the line of her collar bone. His hand went lower to loosen her trousers before he scooped her up and placed her on the bed.

"What do you want Gwen?"

“Arthur,” she whispered. “I want to forget. Please.”

Previously, sex had been about seeking pleasure but as Arthur kissed her lips gently, he knew that this time it would be different. She was unusually pliant, allowing Arthur to do whatever he wanted. As his fingers dipped into her, Gwen let out a sigh as her hands tangled in his hair. He lowered his mouth, and with his fingers, brought her to a shuddering climax, once, and then again.

Still fully clothed, he spooned her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and held her close, nuzzling her neck. He could easily shuck off his trousers and slide into her and honestly, he really wanted to. But for some reason, with the mood Gwen was in, it didn’t feel right.

“Don’t you want to –“ she murmured her hand reaching behind to cup him. Arthur caught her hand before she could make contact.

“I’m fine.”

She nodded, her body relaxing into his. “Thank you.”

Even as he held her, Arthur felt dread pool in him. He didn’t want to feel this tenderness, this desire to protect her. All this was only going to make things more complicated, not least because his father was most likely on his way to completely destroy her. He couldn’t even begin to fathom what was wrong with him, allowing himself to be taken by his captor. And Gwen. All those stories about her violent, bloodthirsty ways and she was curled in his arms, sad and vulnerable, because he’d killed Pellam. He stroked her hair, then kissed the back of her head. If it had been Elena being called the scourge of the seven seas, Arthur could understand, but Gwen?

When he woke, she was still in his arms, all soft and warm. Slivers of sunlight seeped into his cabin and he groaned, untangling himself from Gwen then leaving his bed. Gwen sighed, shifted and buried her face in his pillow.

“Is she with you?” Elena opened his door and poked her head in.

“Don’t you have any manners? And yes, she’s sleeping.”

“Don’t forget who you are,” Elena snapped and shoved a tray at him. “Make sure she eats.”

Grumbling under his breath, Arthur kicked the door shut. Gwen stirred, blinking before staring in confusion at him.

“Hey.” Still holding the tray, he sat on the bed next to her.

Her smile was tentative. “Hey. Is that breakfast?”

“Yup. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to eat it in this tiny room.” He handed her a bowl.

“Thanks.”

For a while, they ate in silence, side by side on his bed. In between, Arthur stole glances at her. He cleared his throat. “Have you ever killed before?”

Gwen started, then frowned. “Of course.” The answer was rushed and instinctively, Arthur knew she was lying.

“Liar,” he whispered, leaning over to touch her cheek. Even with her messy hair, sleepy eyes and skin creased by the sheets, he couldn’t help but think about how beautiful she was. It was suddenly important she told him the truth.

“That’s ridiculous. I’m a pirate. Of course I’ve killed.”

Arthur set his bowl aside. “That may be true but never intentionally.”

Shrugging, Gwen stuffed her spoon in her mouth.

“This whole reputation you have, it’s all lies, isn’t it?”

“I’m going back –“

Arthur grabbed her hand. “Tell me the truth.”

“Why?” asked Gwen as she stood and pulled her hand from his. “Who are you to demand anything from me? You’re my captive and I don’t owe you any answers.”

Arthur stood as well, anger surging through him at her words, at the fact that she was still lying to him. “Maybe you should stop pretending to be someone you’re not.”

“Who I am is none of your business!”

“It’s my business when you use me for comfort sex last night because you couldn’t deal with seeing people die.”

That made Gwen pause. “You agreed to this arrangement,” she finally said, her voice cold. “But I can see it’s not working anymore.”

“Gwen.” He reached for her but she took a step back.

“No. Don’t touch me. You can still have freedom of the boat as long as you do whatever duties Elena gives you.”

Arthur grit his teeth. “Fine.”

“Great.” As she left, she slammed the door.

* * *

“You’re in a mood.” Mordred scrubbed the main deck with more vigour than Arthur had seen in the past week.

Arthur grunted and continued working. He wasn’t in a mood because he didn’t care about Gwen or her ship. And he’d be happy when his father arrived, annihilated Gwen’s merry band of pirates and he could go back to trying to regain his position as captain of the navy. He flung his rag into the bucket of dirty water.

“Elena gave me a piece of jewellery. Reward for my part in the Fisher King treasure hunt.”

“One piece of jewellery.” Arthur laughed. “You’re easy.”

“Also, Elena says we’re going to spend some time at a port. I like sailing but it’ll be good to be on dry land, don’t you think? And, Percy said that because I worked well, he’ll teach me how to rig the ship.”

His smile this time was genuine. "That's brilliant.”

“You’ll stay on the ship too, right?” Mordred asked. Then his voice dropped. “You could be the captain’s first officer. I think she likes you too.”

“I am a captive,” said Arthur, turning his attention back to the deck he was scrubbing.

“Yeah but as long as your father doesn’t come for you, you can stay.”

That was perilously close to his own thoughts early this morning, when he was wrapped up with Gwen.

“I am sure that my father will come soon.”

It was the wrong thing to say and Arthur knew it the moment the smile faded from Mordred’s face, replaced with his usual sulky pout. With a sigh, Arthur scrubbed harder, hoping the ache in his arms would help him ignore the one in his chest.

* * *

As Gwen lounged on the deck with Merlin, she couldn’t help but watch as Arthur worked on repairing some part of the ship, even though watching him made her want him. She’d overreacted this morning, still shaken by his killing of Pellam and nervous about sharing too much with him. Despite everything, how he’d supported them during their adventures on the Fisher King, Gwen was very aware that he was still the enemy and chances were that his father was now leading the Camelot navy after them.

“I think it’s all fate,” said Merlin.

“Fate?” Gwen removed her arm from her eyes and looked up at Merlin.

“If you hadn’t kidnapped Arthur, there’s no way we would have been able to get the Fisher King’s treasure.”

Gwen shook her head. “Let’s not forget the part in which I’ve effectively set the whole Camelot navy on our tails.”

“That’s assuming they can find us. The oceans are huge.” Merlin stretched. “We will be prepared for them.”

“Yeah.” It would be her and her crew on one side and Arthur and Camelot on the other. Her against Arthur. That thought hurt.

As if reading her thoughts, Merlin continued. “We’ll be fighting against Arthur.”

“Maybe his father will give us the ransom and we can just release him.”

“So this has nothing to do with getting revenge on Uther?”

Gwen let her arm cover her eyes again. “I don’t know.”

“You could kill Arthur. Let Uther have a taste of how you suffered,” said Merlin quietly.

“No!” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shut out the sudden pain that accompanied the idea of Arthur dying. “You know how I feel about killing. No.”

Merlin said nothing but leaned against the side of the ship next to her. Excalibur rocked gently as Percy guided it towards Mercia, a small port town.

Even as Gwen tried to keep her mind on happy thoughts like the full hold she had right now, Elena’s words, Arthur’s questions kept invading her mind. It was all Arthur’s fault. If he hadn’t let his ship catch fire, if he hadn’t been the crown prince of Camelot, if he hadn’t acted as if he actually cared about her, she would be lying here on her deck, pleased with her haul and not worrying about whether she was really happy and moping over a break up that wasn’t even really a break up. “Are you happy Merlin?”

"Hmm?” Merlin’s head lolled to the side so he could look at her. “I am pretty happy. But I’m happy anywhere I can work on my magic.”

“So if I gave up Excalibur –“

“Hey, hey, hey. What are you talking about? I told you that we’ll survive the Camelot attack. I promise you.”

Gwen smiled at Merlin. “It’s just something Elena said. She’s feeling restless. Life on a peaceful pirate ship isn’t really for her, I guess.”

“She discovers this after sailing on the Excalibur for 5 years?”

“You have to admit, life was a lot more exciting when my dad was around.”

Merlin raised one eyebrow. “Never thought I’d hear the day you’d describe those days as exciting. I remember a girl who hated the violence, who pleaded with her father to retire from being a pirate. What happened to her?”

“She thought that she could be happy pretending she liked being a pirate. She thought if she learned to like being a pirate, it would make up for the way she treated her father before he died.”

Merlin’s arm slipped around her shoulders but he said nothing.

“Arthur asked me who I really am. I yelled at him.”

“He probably deserved it,” laughed Merlin and Gwen smiled reluctantly. “And who is he to ask you such things anyway? You give him a little freedom and he thinks he can ask anything he wants.”

“Exactly,” said Gwen, even as a strange sense of emptiness came over her.


	8. Chapter 8

All port towns tended to look the same – the same traders lining the main streets, workers at the ports waiting for the work that came with the incoming ships, sailors at the various pubs and taverns taking a break from the sea. Percy anchored the Excalibur in a quieter part of the dock, the red flag taken down so as to not draw attention to them. As much as she loved being on water, Gwen was glad to see dry land.

"One night. Report back by sunrise tomorrow or Excalibur will leave without you." Elena glared down at the crew. "There are tons of people who would love to be part of the Excalibur so don't think we won't replace you if you're late."

Murmurs of agreement filled the air before all of them trooped off the ship. Within minutes, the deck was cleared of all the crew except Gwen, Merlin, Elena and Percy.

"What are we going to do about the prisoner?" asked Elena. Arthur stood slightly behind, his hands cuffed behind him. "I rather not bring him around as we shop for supplies. Plus Percy and I want some time alone."

"I'll take him," said Gwen impulsively.

Elena sent her a cheeky smile while Merlin mouthed 'are you sure' at her. But before she could change her mind, Elena shoved Arthur towards her, linked arms with Percy and happily walked off the ship.

"I need to get some magic supplies too. You'll be alright?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not exactly in a position to hurt her," muttered Arthur.

"I'll be fine. I'll see you in the Sunrise Tavern for dinner?" With a nod, Merlin was off, leaving Arthur alone with her.

"Lead the way."

Gwen glanced at Arthur, bit her lip then took off his cuffs. "Come on."

* * *

After securing three rooms at the Sunrise Tavern, Gwen and Arthur slowly climbed up the stairs. Arthur had been silent although Gwen could feel his eyes on her a lot of the time. Her hand trembled as she pushed the key into the keyhole, but she succeeded and the door swung open.

"Are we sharing a room?" asked Arthur. "Someone has to keep an eye on me right?"

Gwen ignored his question and took out the cuffs. "You'll stay here. Come here."

Arthur walked over to where she was. "You're going to cuff me to the bed?" He practically leered at her and she turned away. He was trying to make her uncomfortable and she wasn't going to give him the pleasure.

Roughly, she grabbed his arm and secured one cuff to it, cuffing the other to the bed post. "I'll bring you lunch later."

His eyes bored into hers. "Why are you acting like this?"

"I don't –"

"Don't do this."

Gwen frowned at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know I'm your captive but let's stop pretending that that is all that is between us," said Arthur, a tension in his voice that suggested he was barely holding on to his temper.

"You mean the sex?" She hated that her own voice wavered. Deliberately, she turned her back on him and stared out of the dirty window. The streets below bustled and she caught sight of Elena in a heated discussion with one of the stall holders.

"It's completely foolish, I know, but I have come to care about you. And I know you care about me too. You can lie to yourself if you want, but you know it's true." Arthur bit out angrily.

Her eyes suddenly stung with tears. "You don't sound like you care," she said.

"If I didn't care, I'd have let you and Merlin die on that blasted ship!" She heard him suck in a breath, then his voice gentled. "Tell me you don't care about me, that you feel nothing."

"You are just my captive." But even Gwen knew Arthur could hear the lie in the words. "Just a captive," she repeated even as her voice quivered.

"Come here," Arthur said quietly, pleadingly.

Elena was now smiling broadly at the merchant, probably because she had gotten a good deal from him. Percy had one arm slung casually around her shoulders, although it was clear his mind was on other things. She should leave the room, go down to the market and catch up with them.

"Gwen."

She turned. He stretched out his free hand.

For a while, she didn't move. Then she went to him, letting him take her hand to pull her next to him on the bed. After spending so many nights in bed with him, she should have felt more comfortable sitting next to him but she didn't. Tension and apprehension made her stiff and she pulled her hand from his. His eyes reflected hurt but he didn't attempt to touch her again.

"Why do you live a lie?" Arthur finally asked.

Her gaze fell to her hands and she chewed on her lip.

"The Gwen I have gotten to know doesn't like violence or killing. The Gwen I saw on the ship would rather help others than be the source of their destruction. That's the same person who turned on me because I killed the captain of the Fisher King."

Two weeks and he knew her this well. She already cared far too much about him. She didn't need him pushing this. Any sensible person would cut ties with Arthur, put some distance between them before his father came. "Why does this even matter? Your father is probably hunting us down right now, then you'll turn on me and – what is the point?"

This time, he touched her again, his finger against her chin, urging her to look at him.

"The Gwen I know," he said in a low, rough voice, "is a generous, kind, brave person. I like her very much."

A harsh breath escaped her. "There's no future in this," she said, even as she felt her defences weakening.

"There's the present. Tell me you feel nothing for me." His breath fluttered against her cheek as he leaned closer.

Gwen swallowed. "I feel desire."

A smile spread on his face. "I feel that too."

"I don't want to care about you."

"Funny," he said, his lips against the corner of her lips. "I don't want to care about you too."

It would only take a slight turn for her to be able to kiss him. "I like you Arthur Pendragon," she breathed even as her mind told her she was being a fool.

"I like you too, Captain Gwen." And then before she could do anything, he moved so he could kiss her firmly. "I like you far too much for my own good."

She finally smiled as Arthur's lips drifted to her neck. "This is such a bad idea."

"You know it stopped being just sex a long time ago," he groaned against her throat, his free arm wrapped around her waist. With a smooth move, he lay on the bed, pulling her to lie on top of him. Then, he made quick work of her braid, running his hand through her hair till it spilled all over him. He smiled up at her and her heart stopped. Arthur had smiled at her many times, but this time there was a tenderness, an affection that she'd never seen before. Slowly, she traced his lips with her fingers until he took one into his mouth, sucking gently. That alone sent desire pooling in her and she shifted so that his length was positioned where she ached.

"Are we going to do this with you cuffed to the bed?" she asked as she unbuttoned his shirt slowly, teasing each bit of skin she revealed with her tongue and mouth.

"You may not like violence," he rasped. "But I know you like being in charge."

Arthur's shirt was completely unbuttoned and she had kissed and licked her way down to the edge of his trousers. Her palm ran over his thigh, enjoying the way he shuddered under her touch, before it reach the ties. He groaned her name. But it was nothing like the groan that was torn from him when she took him in her mouth. His free hand fisted in her hair, urging her on while his hips jerked erratically.

"I want to taste you too. Turn around."

It took Gwen a while to understand what he was suggesting. Then, it became quite clear that it was easier said than done, especially when one of them was cuffed to the bed. A fit of giggles overtook her as she tried to crawl into position then slipped, landing on Arthur's stomach.

"You're graceful on the ship, not so much on the bed," said Arthur as his hand drifted over her hip, trying to undo her trousers.

She huffed. "You're not helping!"

"If you kept still for a while, I'd be able to remove your trousers!"

Impatient, she shoved his hands away, untying it herself and pushing them off, letting them drop onto the ground. When she looked up at Arthur, he was smiling with far too much satisfaction. "What is it?"

His hand slipped under her shirt. "I never knew how sexy you would look with just a shirt on." When her fingers moved to the buttons, he stopped her. "Don't. I like it. Now, can you get into position?"

"What happened to me being in charge?" Then she squeaked when Arthur pinched her nipple.

"Gwen," he groaned. "Come on."

She shifted again, turning. When he lifted his head, kissing the inside of her thigh, she gasped his name, the desire that had dampened slightly, shooting up again. Her hand wrapped around his length, stroking him before she dipped her head to lick him.

"Gwen," he said again, his nails digging into her hip, the vibration of his voice sending a thrill through her. At that moment, Gwen knew she was in over her head but that brief moment of worry was utterly wiped from her mind when Arthur did something with his tongue.

* * *

Arthur wrapped both arms around Gwen, nuzzling her damp hair. She whimpered slightly, then burrowed further into his embrace. Her breathing was steady and it soothed Arthur. With her eyes closed, her face relaxed, Arthur thought she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, even in comparison to all the noble women his father had been parading in front of him. He had no idea what he was thinking admitting that he liked her, pushing her to admit the same, especially know how impossible any future together was, yet for now, he was oddly happy.

She sighed and opened her eyes.

"Hey," he murmured.

Her smile made his heart somersault and he kissed her forehead. "Hey," she said.

"You know, I'm not the captain of the Camelot navy."

"Because you've been taken prisoner?" Amusement danced in her eyes. "You should be my prisoner forever."

Arthur smiled in return. "No, because my father thought I wasn't ruthless enough. So he gave my position to someone else."

"But you're the crown prince."

"Believe me, it was humiliating enough. Especially when my whole life, all I wanted, all I was expected to do, was be my father." Idly, he drew random patterns on her bare shoulder. "My father would never have been kidnapped by you."

Almost immediately Arthur felt her tense next to him. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I've been wondering why you pretend to be some bloodthirsty, cruel pirate when you're not."

She shifted so she was no longer in his embrace. Leaning over the bed, she snagged her shirt and pulled it on.

"You may not be, but your father definitely was. I was on a ship he plundered a long time ago." Arthur closed his eyes and crossed his arms behind his head. "It was not quite the same way you dealt with my ship." He said it as mildly as possible as he watched Gwen.

She was pulling on her trousers now, the tension evident in her posture. Arthur sighed, then took her hand. Still, she refused to turn around.

"You are not your father, the same way I'm not my father. And if there's one thing I learnt since being stripped of my position, it's that sometimes it's better not to be. I love my father but he is a harsh, cruel man who sees the world in black and white."

Her head dropped. When she finally spoke, her voice was small. "Before my father died, just before your father killed him, we had a huge quarrel. I told him that if he continued to be a pirate, I would leave the ship. Then of course your father's ship attacked, and he died, and I -"

By the time she finished, Arthur had her tightly wrapped in his arms. "Gwen," he said as he cupped her face. "I am sorry my father killed your father."

"It was inevitable, wasn't it? My father was plundering your ships, amongst others. And if it wasn't your father, it would have been someone else." She picked at her shirt. "I thought that if I did want my father wanted, that if I embraced being a pirate, I wouldn't feel so guilty. I guess it's not quite working out." Her laugh was wry and Arthur felt his heart soften even more.

His fingers tangled in her hair. "We're not our fathers nor should we have to be," he said again. "And I think that we've spent enough time talking about them." Slowly, he dragged his thumb across her lips. "We don't have much time together."

Arthur didn't want to think about what would happen when his father eventually found them. For now, he just wanted to enjoy whatever time they had together. It was obvious Gwen felt the same way when she twisted in his arms, smiled up at him through her lashes and lifted her face up for a kiss. "Well then, we should make the most of it."

* * *

They were holding hands and strolling through the busy market. In the distance, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow upon the port town. Merchants yelled out bargains, trying to rid themselves of their goods before night fall. No one seemed to recognize them and Arthur basked in the anonymity and the presence of Gwen.

"A lovely hair clip for a lovely lady?" sang a merchant, blocking their way and shoving a jeweled hair clip in front of Gwen.

She took the clip and looked at it, a slight smile on her face, then shook her head firmly. "No, thank you."

"It's made of tortoise shell and this here is a garnet. It's an exquisite piece." The merchant refused to take the clip from Gwen's hand.

"No, really. It is beautiful but not something I can afford." Gwen pressed the clip back into the hand of the merchant. "But thank you for showing it to me."

Once out of hearing distance, Arthur leaned over and whispered into her ear. "You could afford it easily and you clearly liked it."

"Very true but the more frivolous I am with our money, the more pressure there is on me to plunder more ships."

They had walked to the edge of the market and down to the water. As the sun slowly sank into the sea, the merchants started to pack up while the labourers working on the ships slowly drifted into the various taverns. It wasn't long before the streets became silent and the only light was those from the few torches outside the taverns. Arthur tightened his hold on Gwen's hand.

"You need to quit being a pirate."

Her laugh was light. "And what would I be? A farmer?"

"I've sometimes wanted to be a farmer," he said, half-seriously. "No boring council meetings, no fate of the kingdom on my shoulders."

"Only the tedious work of harvesting your crop, milking cows and hoping for good weather," grinned Gwen. Her hand ran across his arm. "I'm sure physical labour is just up your alley."

"Are you suggesting I would be a bad farmer?"

"I am suggesting that a pirate and a prince would be terrible farmers! We wouldn't last a week."

He laughed as he pulled her closer and put his arm around her waist. "I guess we'll need to think of something else."

"Seriously, if you could be anything you wanted, what would you want to be?"

Arthur glanced down at her. "I would want to be me."

She stopped walking. "The prince of Camelot?"

"Yes. I love Camelot and her people, and despite everything, I want to be a good ruler – to give the people peace and prosperity." He turned to look out at the sea. "I want to make Camelot a great place to live in. I want the people in Camelot to feel happy and safe. It's a little idealistic, isn't it?" Arthur said wryly, thinking of all the times his father accused him of that very thing.

Instead of replying, she lifted herself on her toes, cupped his face and kissed him. Arthur instinctively held her closer and deepened the kiss, until one of their stomachs grumbled. He felt her lips curve into a smile against his. "Guess I'm a little hungry."

"Let's get some food then," said Arthur, taking her hand again.

* * *

"I see you're free," Elena said, glancing suspiciously at Arthur. She hopped onto the stool next to Gwen, followed by Percy. Elena's attention immediately turned to Gwen. "We've replenished the supplies in the ship. We can set sail tomorrow."

"There's no hurry, right?"

"I guess not," said Elena. "Do you like Mercia that much?"

Gwen shrugged. "It's been a while since we've been on dry land."

"Huh. Well, how long do you want to stay?"

"A few days?" Gwen was purposely avoiding Arthur's eyes but he knew what she was doing.

Percy leaned forward. "Sounds good."

Elena's expression spoke volumes but she said nothing.

"Why don't I get us some food and drinks?" Percy left the table and wandered towards the bar.

Under the table, Arthur took Gwen's hand.

"Mercia is amazing," gushed Merlin as he bumped into the table. "Oh hey. You're not locked up."

"No I'm not," said Arthur but clearly, Merlin was no longer interested in him, unlike Elena who was still sitting there, her eyes boring through him.

"Anyway, Mercia has the most amazing magic supplies. I found a whole bunch of ingredients I've not been able to find elsewhere."

Gwen's smile was bright. "That's great. Did you find any books?"

"So many!"

Arthur's stomach tightened as Gwen and Merlin chatted freely about magic. It was difficult to see big eared, fresh faced Merlin as a dark arts practitioner and he had to admit that Merlin was making him reconsider his beliefs about magic. Still, magic still made Arthur wary and listening to them talk about it made him uncomfortable. He glanced around the tavern. It looked like any other tavern with the same variety of people.

"Food! And ale!" Percy dumped a large tray on the table. "Let's eat!"

Despite Merlin's constant chatter about magic and Elena's suspicious glances, when Gwen placed her hand on his thigh and fed him a piece of her chicken, Arthur decided that this was one of the best meals he'd ever had. And the night got even better when Gwen, slightly tipsy from the copious amounts of ale they drank, shoved him onto the bed, then proceeded to have her wicked way with him.

As the crickets chirped outside and the sea wind rattled the window, Arthur and Gwen spent the night sleeping in each other's arms for the first time.


	9. Chapter 9

Arthur was still snoring when Gwen woke, his breath warm against the side of her face. The sunlight that filtered into the small room through the slightly cracked, stained window highlighted the dust particles that danced in the morning breeze. Lifting herself up on one elbow, she looked at him – crown prince of Camelot, son of her father’s murderer. Doubts crept up on her as she watched him sleep, his chest moving up and down rhythmically, his lips slightly parted. What did she really know about him besides the fact that she was incredibly attracted to him physically and that his touch did things to her body she’d never experienced before? 

She turned away, then pushed herself up. Memories of Lancelot crowded into her head – the months of what seemed to be endless bliss and joy until he’d abruptly left. A stopover at a small shipping port, not dissimilar to this one, a chance meeting with Elaine, daughter of Lord Petchere, a farewell note and Lancelot was little more than a memory. The familiar pain, the one she’d kept close to her heart for the years since Lancelot, threatened to choke her again. 

Lancelot and her had seemed matched in heaven.

Arthur and her, on the other hand, couldn't be any more unsuited for each other.

Not that this was anything more than a physical attraction Gwen told herself firmly. Sure, she liked Arthur – he was kind to Mordred, to her and had helped with the Fisher King – but he was still Arthur Pendragon. And there was nothing wrong with liking him. As long as she remembered who they were.

A warm palm slid up her bare back.

“Come here.” Arthur’s sleepy voice commanded, his hand sending shivers down her spine. Obediently, pushing all her worries away, Gwen lay back down in bed, letting him pull her close, resting her head on the warm expanse of his chest. His mouth pressed against the crown of her head and he murmured something that she couldn’t make out. She sighed, turned her face into the crook of his neck and closed her eyes, trying to shut out that part of her brain that persisted in being sensible. 

"Arthur?"

"Mmm." He shifted slightly so he could look at her as his hand trailed down her side. "Did you want something?"

"What are we doing, Arthur?"

He shifted again. "We're sleeping. At least I was until you started thinking loudly."

"I mean this." She waved her hand at them, at their entwined arms and legs. "Your father -"

Her words were cut off by his lips. The kiss was gentle, more a light touch than anything else. His thumb stroked her cheek. "Don't think so much, hmm? Let's just enjoy what we have now."

"Until your father comes?"

He adjusted them so she was under him, wrapped his fingers around her curls and pressed light kisses on her cheek and eyes. "We'll cross that bridge when we reach it."

"Alright," she sighed, even as her brain told her she was being foolish. He kissed her head again, tucked her close and for a long time, they just sat snuggled on the bed.

+

"Psst." Gwen jumped and swore, turning around to see Merlin beckoning to her. In response her stomach rumbled. 

"What is it?"

"Come here." Merlin beckoned her again.

Gwen frowned. Part of her wanted to join Arthur down in the tavern for breakfast, the other part of her was very curious as to why Merlin was hiding behind corners. She took a tentative step towards him and before she could even open her mouth, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, tugging her into the dark alcove he was hiding in. As if that wasn't shocking enough, hiding in the corner of the alcove was Elena.

"What are you two up to?" Gwen found herself squashed into the alcove, pressed up against Merlin's bony side and Elena's less-than-bony front. 

"We need to talk," said Elena. "About you and that captive."

Merlin nodded his head vigorously but said nothing. 

"What's there to talk about?"

"It's one thing to sleep with him but it's another when the two of you act like you're in some kind of relationship." Even in the shadows, Gwen could see Elena frowning at her.

Gwen shrugged. "It's just sex."

"Really? Because you two were holding hands at the market."

"How do you know that?" Merlin coughed and Gwen turned her head to glare at him. "Merlin!"

"I was worried about you!"

Elena grabbed her hand, as if worried Gwen was about to turn and run, which she was sorely tempted to do. "We are worried about you!"

Drawing herself up, difficult when she was sandwiched between Merlin and Elena, Gwen huffed. "If I can captain a ship, I can manage my personal life."

"Gwen, he's the enemy." Merlin nodded along as Elena spoke. It was a good thing that they were all pressed together in the small alcove because Gwen was pretty sure that Elena would be jabbing a finger at her if she had the space. "Use him for sex, I don't care. But once you start to care for him -"

"He's not the enemy. His father is." It was the exact wrong thing to say and Gwen braced herself for Elena's retort.

Instead, Elena shook her head and sighed dramatically. "Oh Gwen." The grip on Gwen's arm loosened and became more of a caress. "Just know that Merlin and I are always here for you."

"Elena -"

Elena's voice hardened. "And no matter how you feel about Arthur, we need to be ready for an attack by the Camelot navy. You at least agree with that right?"

"Of course." Another thing that popped out of her mouth without her thinking. 

"Good." Elena dropped Gwen's hand. "Alright Merlin, we can go now."

They tumbled out of the alcove into one of the tavern maids who glared suspiciously at them. Muttering apologies, Gwen quickly darted towards the doors to the main dining area. Amidst the noise and crowd, Gwen immediately spotted Arthur, head bent, talking to Mordred. She wanted to smile but Elena was at her side watching her, so instead, she bit her lip and stared straight ahead. 

"Gwen, Elena, Merlin." Arthur rose as they approached the table. "Hope you don't mind Mordred joining us."

Gwen smiled at Mordred, who looked as sulky as before. "It's fine. I'm starving."

When she sat, Arthur reached out and took her hand. Elena's words still in her head, she pulled her hand away, then refused to look at Arthur throughout breakfast. Arthur directed some questions towards her softly, under his breath but aside from brief nods, she kept up a conversation with Merlin and Elena. He must have gotten the message because he dropped her hand and turned his attention to Mordred.

"I think we should make a move tomorrow morning." Elena jabbed the table to make her point. "We may not have anchored the ship nearby but someone is bound to realise who you are. And you know the bounty on your head."

"Conveniently transferred from your father," muttered Merlin. "It should have died with him."

"You know they are trying to completely destroy the Excalibur. Whoever takes over it, takes over the bounty. Back to the matter, two days is long enough. I've gotten enough supplies and Percy says the ship is ready to sail. Gwen?"

"You're right. We should make a move tomorrow. And make sure we're prepared for the upcoming attack." Gwen nodded at Elena. Immediately, Elena shushed her, darting a glance at Arthur.

Arthur set down his mug with a thump. "There's no need to hide because of me. I know we -"

"We?" Elena narrowed her eyes. "You're not part of our group."

Gwen could see Arthur tense. "Elena -"

"He's not part of us." Elena stared at Gwen. "Is he? He is the enemy."

Arthur's eyes were also on her, heavy, demanding. She looked down at the heavy wood table, pretending she couldn’t feel his gaze.

"That may be true but -"

With a snort, Arthur waved her off. "I think it's best I leave now.” Pushing his chair back, he stood. And even though she kept her eyes on the table, she could imagine the mix of hurt and anger in his eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was devoid of all the warmth it held just one night ago. “Don't worry. I'll be back so you can use me for ransom."

"Well," said Merlin, who then took another gulp of his drink. "That went well."

Gwen’s eyes followed Arthur as he stalked out of the tavern, her heart sinking when she noticed the tension in his back and the haughty tilt of his head.

“Why did you have to do that?” Mordred stood, anger glinting in his eyes. “He was good to you – he helped you with that treasure hunt.”

“Mordred –“ Gwen reached out a hand but it was too late. Mordred was following literally in Arthur’s footsteps.

“Leave him. He’s just a whiny kid.” Elena shook her head. “Now that the captive is gone, let’s discuss plans” Her eyes gleamed as something behind Gwen caught her attention.

With a clatter, Percy took a seat next to them. "Just checked on the ship. She's all ready to go. Also, was that our captive then our cabin boy who stormed out?" 

Elena’s arm immediately slipped around Percy’s waist as she smiled up at him. “Good timing. We’re just about to discuss how we’re going to destroy the Camelot Navy.”

“That’s a little excessive, isn’t it?” Gwen glanced at Merlin then at Elena. “We don’t have to completely destroy the navy.”

Percy laughed. “Elena’s just exaggerating. We’ll be prepared to repel any attack, just like we always do.”

Shrugging from Percy’s hold, Elena glared at him. “I’m not. Look, this is the perfect opportunity to get some revenge. Sleeping with the enemy hasn’t made you forget that his father killed yours. With Merlin’s you-know, we have the advantage." Her voice dropped. "No one knows we have magic.”

“Have you forgotten that the men on his ship saw us use magic?” Merlin finally spoke now that his plate was clear. 

Her attention shifting to Merlin, Elena grinned. “Maybe but firstly, they don't know the source of our magic - only Arthur does and secondly, Uther's brilliant plan to rid Camelot of all magic has left him vulnerable to magic."

Tapping his fingers on the table, Merlin mused over Elena's words. "You do have a point. Of course, we are depending on Arthur not telling his father this. Also, my magic is good enough to defend us from one ship. I am not sure about a whole navy."

"But you've been practising." Gwen looked up at Merlin and placed her hand on his arm. "I've seen you. And you have Kilgarrah."

Elena chuckled and clasped her hands together. "So we're in agreement that we should destroy the Camelot navy?"

"Elena -" Gwen narrowed her eyes as her heart sped up. Not only was she not a fan of bloodshed – and a battle between Excalibur and the Camelot navy would be full of that, the idea of standing opposite Arthur and trying to destroy the kingdom he loved made her stomach hurt. 

"Gwen!” Grabbing her arm, Elena shook her head, her blonde hair flying across her face. “Don't let Arthur's prowess in bed affect you."

Percy shook his head. "As strong as Merlin may be and as well-equipped as Excalibur is, taking the Camelot Navy head on is still a recipe for disaster.” He looked intently at Elena. “You know this.”

With a huff, Elena slumped back into her chair. 

“Maybe there doesn’t need to be blood spilled. We’ll return Arthur –“

“You’re just letting him go?” Elena shot up straight again. “Do you think Uther is going to thank you?”

“No. Of course not.”

“He killed your father!” 

“Stop it, Elena! Yes, I took Arthur captive because I wanted revenge. But I wasn’t thinking. Percy is right. We will never survive an attack by Camelot.”

Elena stood. “I can’t believe that you are giving up avenging your father’s death because you like his murderer’s son.”

Percy placed a hand on Elena but she shrugged it off, pushed herself from the table and walked off.

“She’ll be fine,” muttered Percy, then he too left the table.

With a groan, Gwen dropped her head into her hands. Fingers curled gently around her wrists. “Hey.”

“Oh Merlin.”

“Do you want revenge?” His thumb rubbed comfortingly across the back of her hand. “We could just return Arthur safe and sound. Maybe Uther will find it in himself not to attack us if we did that. Elena will get over not getting to participate in an all-out blood bath.”

Lifting her head, she attempted a smile at Merlin. “Part of me wants to hurt Uther the way he hurt me." She paused, unsure but this was Merlin, one of her best friends. "Just, doing that will hurt Arthur.”

“And you don’t want to hurt him?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.

“I don’t know. Maybe Elena is right. This thing I have with Arthur is messing everything up.”

For a while Merlin kept silent. "I'm not a fan of revenge," he said finally.

Relief filled Gwen. “Neither am I. Revenge would make me as bad as Uther."

"We can’t destroy the Camelot navy like Elena wants. But we’re definitely more than capable of defending ourselves.” Merlin smiled. “Did you know I finally perfected that invisible spell?”

This time her smile was more genuine as excitement built in her. It was almost enough to make her forget the past few minutes. “You didn’t! You’ve been working on it forever!”

“Half a year isn’t forever!” But he laughed, then took her hand. “I can make myself invisible.”

“Can you make Excalibur invisible?”

“Well, I was hoping to try that this morning. Want to see?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Standing, Gwen tugged at Merlin. “Come on. I can’t wait to see it.”

+

Mordred kicked a stone. “They hate you.”

"Elena does.”

“The captain doesn’t? She wasn’t exactly defending you in there.”

Arthur wanted to snap at Mordred, point out that he was there when Gwen had practically called him the enemy, which was the truth so he didn’t know why he had reacted so badly. Telling her he liked her, believing when she said she liked him. What did he think he was playing at? “This isn’t your concern.”

Beside him, he heard Mordred huff. Thankfully, that was Mordred’s only response. The market was already bustling with the merchants setting up their stalls and no one paid any attention to them. Briefly, Arthur remembered Gwen’s and his walk through it yesterday – the bubble of happiness that they had enclosed themselves in – the bubble that had burst so quickly. 

“What attack were they talking about?” Mordred stopped walking suddenly. 

His first instinct was to lie. But Mordred hated being treated as a child, even if he was very much one. “My father.”

Realization dawned on Mordred’s face. “You can’t let him!”

“What do you expect me to do?” In frustration, Arthur stalked ahead. Only rushed footsteps told him that Mordred was following him. 

“I don’t know,” said Mordred, his usual bluster nowhere to be heard. A rock flew past and Arthur paused, letting Mordred catch up. “Will your father send the whole navy?”

“Likely.”

“Then what about Excalibur? You’re going to destroy Excalibur?” Mordred took a step back. 

Stopping and placing both his hands on Mordred’s shoulders, Arthur looked at him. “Your loyalties lie with Excalibur. Remember that.”

Under his hands, Arthur could feel Mordred slump. “What about your loyalties?”

“I am a captive. I have no stake in the Excalibur.” He dropped his hands, his gut burning with the lie, then walked on, past the rest of the market, ignoring the merchants trying to get his attention, all the way to the port. Various labourers and seamen dodged past him, many carrying various supplies for their ships. As far as his eye could see, ships lined the port. Not the Excalibur – she was hidden, the bright, red flag taken down. The morning sun shone into his eyes and he squinted at the horizon. His mind turned to that other detail that had slipped out at breakfast – the bounty on Gwen’s head. It wasn’t his father who placed the bounty on her head – his father would much prefer being the one to orchestrate her death. So who was it? And why did he even care? She was lucky to have Merlin and Elena. As annoying as Elena was, he was pretty sure she would do anything for Gwen.

The question now was what would he do for her?

“Arthur.”

“You should go back to the crew.” He looked down at Mordred. “Keep your temper in check. Listen to Elena and I’m sure you’ll do well on the Excalibur.”

“You said you would return! Are you leaving?” Mordred grabbed his arm, that familiar sulk appearing on his face. “You could help us. You know your navy.”

“I can’t fight against my father!” He pushed Mordred’s hand away. He sucked in a breath – it was not fair to take out his frustrations on Mordred. “Look, go back to the tavern alright?”

Mordred’s jaw worked and hurt filled his eyes. “You said you would come back – to be used as ransom.”

"Go back to the tavern Mordred.” Arthur directed his gaze back to the horizon. 

Mordred had walked some distance away when he spoke again. “Do you think the Excalibur will be destroyed?”

Tearing his gaze from the horizon, Arthur looked back at Mordred. “No. You have Merlin.”

“Merlin?”

Arthur laughed humourlessly. “Merlin – he’s the source of magic on the Excalibur. As long as you have him, you all will be fine. Now go.”

+

Gwen smiled as the warm sun shone down on her. Merlin lay by her side, exhausted from showing her his invisible spell.

“It was pretty cool, wasn’t it? Worth all that effort.” 

“Very,” laughed Gwen. “Pity you can’t make Excalibur disappear.”

Merlin shrugged. “It’s just a matter of practice. I started out only being able to make a mug disappear. Now I can make a person disappear.”

They lay on the sand near the cove where they had docked the Excalibur. Shielding her eyes, Gwen looked at the ship, her home for as long as she can remember. She knew every nook and cranny of the ship – that one cabin which had a door that didn’t close properly, that one squeaky board on the deck. She had vague memories of her mother playing hide and seek with her when she was young, before the scurvy had taken her. She remembered her father teaching her how to rig the ship then telling her that one day the ship would be hers, that it would her legacy to continue to pirate the seas. 

“I don’t want to go back on Excalibur.” Gwen never thought those words would leave her mouth, but when they did, instead of guilt, it was as if a weight had been lifted. 

Merlin’s fingers curled around hers. “Excalibur is your life.”

“Maybe it’s not the life I want.”

“Are you sure this isn’t about the Camelot attack?”

“No. Maybe.” She sighed. 

“This battle against Camelot was inevitable since you kidnapped the crown prince,” Merlin pointed out. “What do you want to do with Arthur?”

And that was the question that had been plaguing her since breakfast. “I’m going to let him go when the navy comes.”

“Uther is still going to attack.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “We’ll survive.”

He squeezed her hand. “We will.”

Letting her head drop to the side, Gwen smiled at Merlin and nodded. They would survive. But would her heart?

+

“Arthur.” 

He lifted his head as she entered the room. Seated at the edge of the bed, he smiled slightly. “You sound surprised. Did you think I was going to run away?”

“You should have.” She walked toward him, letting him take her hands and tug at her until she stood between his spread legs. “Why didn’t you?”

Slowly, he slid one arm around her waist. “Because if I did, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” With his free arm, he cupped her face and brought it down to his until their lips met and she sighed into his kiss. 

Her own hands twisted in his hair as she deepened the kiss, letting the taste and feel of him drive away all the worry and doubts in her mind. Leaning against him, she pushed until he fell back onto the bed and she lay atop him.

“When do we leave?” Arthur asked.

“Tomorrow, before dawn.”

Arthur’s smile was tinged with sadness and he lifted his head to press another kiss at the side of her mouth. “Good. We still have most of the day and the whole night left.”

“Arthur, we have to talk –“

He placed a finger on her lips. “Gwen. I know that soon, we’ll be standing opposite each other, but for now, I want us to be together. I don’t want to talk about things we can’t change.”

The confirmation that Arthur would fight her during the battle sent a sharp pain through her but she pushed it aside. She wanted to be with him too, so she said nothing and buried her face in his neck as his hands ran up her sides, pushing up her shirt. 

"Let's have today, hmm?" He said against her cheek. “Just us, together.”

Lifting her head, she looked down at him, noticing for the first time the tenderness in his eyes. “Just us,” she whispered and kissed him once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With many thanks to Ancel for her encouragement and beta. :)


	10. Chapter 10

Arthur threaded his way through the crowds that thronged the market, something made more difficult by the large bag of supplies he was hauling. And it was far from the only bag. Elena had certainly made good use of the Fisher King's treasure. Then again, who knew when they would feel safe enough to land again?

Everyone else was on the ship, readying it for launch. Elena had heard news of a merchant ship that sank recently in a nearby reef and the fact that the reef was in a direction away from Camelot made it a good place to head towards.

Passing the stall that sold the hairclip Gwen liked, he paused.

"You're the one who came by with your girl – lovely girl, she was." The owner of the stall studied him closely.

Arthur found himself agreeing, as his eyes scanned the table for that clip Gwen had liked.

"Are you perchance looking for this?" In his palm was the butterfly clip he was looking for. "I remember your girl looking very pretty in it."

Sweet words from a merchant were rarely trustworthy, but this once, Arthur had to agree with him. Unfortunately, Arthur had nothing of value on him, everything taken by Gwen when he'd been captured.

Regretfully, he shook his head. "Thank you, but it's not something I can afford right now."

"Ah." Disappointment crossed the merchant's face. "Perhaps next time. Although, that would be if you come to Camelot."

About to turn away, Arthur stilled at the merchant's words. "Camelot?"

"Yes. It's time to move on. Don't like staying in one place for too long - might piss off too many people." He grinned, a gold teeth glinting in the sun. "Although, I've heard rumours that a war might be approaching Camelot - you haven't heard about that, have you son?"

His heart stopped. "A war?"

"Or so they say. A ship from Camelot was here a week ago. Guess you heard nothing on the seas." The merchant shrugged.

"A week ago? Do you know which ship?"

"Which ship?" The merchant laughed. "I'm a salesman. Not a deckhand. But some soldiers were here, drunk and noisy – said Camelot was itching for a war. They say a neighbouring kingdom has been making raids over the borders." His voice dropped to a whisper and Arthur found himself leaning over the table full of goods to hear his words. "And there is talk that their prince is missing."

Even as dread pooled in Arthur's stomach, he managed a smile at the merchant. "I'm sure there's nothing to those stories."

"Who knows? Remember, if you ever have some coin and are in Camelot, pay me a visit."

His heart heavier than anything he carried, Arthur trudged up the ship. His thoughts churned in his mind – his desire to be with Gwen, his obligations to a kingdom he loved. How did things get so complicated? Blindly, he walked onto the ship. Elena curtly directed him to place the supplies in the hold, and he obliged. As he walked out of the hold, still deep in thought, Arthur ran right into Gwen, whose eyes sparkled as she looked up at him.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long."

"Thought I'd escaped?" Immediately, her face fell and he regretted his words. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."

Her smile was insincere and her tone, dismissive. "Of course, you did." Not waiting for him to answer, she walked away.

+

Gwen leaned over the side of the Excalibur, her hair not in her usual braid, flying in the wind. She was laughing at something Merlin said and Arthur smiled. Next to him, Percy stood barking orders at Mordred and a few other cabin boys as they practiced rigging square sails. Despite all his bellyaching, Mordred had skill.

Arthur shifted, making himself comfortable as he leaned against some barrels. "How long have you been sailing?"

Percy cast a slightly suspicious look at him, but answered anyway. "Since I was about Mordred's age. Saw my first ship while I was just a babe and knew I wanted to be on it. After Cenred slaughtered my family, there wasn't any reason to remain in my village."

"You're from Essetir." Arthur turned to face Percy squarely as unease churned in his gut.

"Enemy of Camelot," said Percy solemnly, but there was an undercurrent of mirth in his tone.

Arthur crossed his arms. "I can't imagine you're a loyal subject after what Cenred did."

"I am loyal only to Gwen. Her father took me in when I had nowhere to go."

"Good." And Arthur meant it. Gwen would need a loyal crew when the Camelot navy arrived. He wondered if his father would send the whole navy or if the looming war would make his father keep some ships close to home. "Looks like Mordred would make a pretty good rigger."

"Scales the ropes like a monkey. He'll be good with some effort. Seems like you've been a good influence on him."

Pushing himself from the barrel he was leaning on, Arthur shook his head. "He's a good kid beneath all that sullenness. He just needs some attention."

"I'll bear that in mind." Percy looked back up at the deckhands and yelled at them to come down. "You want to check their work?"

Arthur nodded. "Sure."

Passing Mordred, Arthur patted Mordred on the shoulder. The pride on Mordred's face made Arthur smile. Perhaps Mordred would amount to something more than just a sullen, angry kid.

After checking the riggings, Arthur stood in the crow's nest and surveyed the Excalibur – the ship Gwen loved so much. She was a gorgeous ship, strong and proud, much like her owner. Absently, he ran his hand along the solid wood of the crow's nest. He looked down. Elena was with her guns, lovingly rubbing them down. She had been unsurprisingly significantly colder to him since they returned to the ship. Arthur was certain she was just waiting for the moment that he would betray them all. Gwen was chatting with Merlin, her hair dancing in the wind and Percy was lecturing the deckhands, including Mordred. They'd left the port just a day ago and it appeared that life on Excalibur had returned to normal, at least on the surface. Even the brief tension between him and Gwen had fizzled out when he'd found her in her bunk and apologized again. She'd forgiven him quite passionately and they'd spent the night curled together in her bed. He remembered waking in the morning, his right arm numb from Gwen's weight, his mouth full of her hair, and staring at her, a feeling he didn't want to name filling him.

Lifting his eyes, he scoured the surrounding waters, looking in the direction of Camelot. He missed her – the familiar sounds and smells of the castle, his men and even in some way, his father. He hoped that the merchant had been wrong about the war and that his kingdom was still at peace and safe. Still, he knew with his father's desire to expand their borders, the prospect of conflict was always looming. Guilt churned in him – he'd been so obsessed with his attraction to Gwen that aside from his attempts at escape in the very beginning, he'd barely thought of Camelot. And now, he was sailing even further from home as war approached her. What kind of leader was he? Perhaps his father had been right when he stripped him of his position in the navy.

He heard someone yell and he looked down to see Percy gesturing for him to get back down.

"It's all good," Arthur said as his feet hit the deck. "They're good at following instructions."

Percy nodded, then turned his attention back to the group of deckhands milling around. In the middle, Mordred stood, back straight, eyes focused on Percy's instructions – a far cry from the petulant, unhappy boy he'd first encountered. Of course, Arthur was smart enough to realize this was probably a temporary thing and Mordred would soon revert to his usual sullen self.

"I can handle things here. The captain might need some help." Arthur looked at Percy but his face was carefully neutral. "Or get some rest. Elena wants you on night shift tonight."

"Thanks." More than two weeks of sailing with the Excalibur and Arthur still couldn't work out how Percy felt about him. Elena on the other hand wore her feelings for him on her sleeves. Since they left the town, she'd been even more hostile, not that he blamed her. Lifting his eyes, Arthur saw that Gwen was still on the quarterdeck with Merlin. Her eyes met his and she smiled causing that strange feeling to blossom in his chest again. Arthur closed his eyes and let out a breath.

As much as he wanted to go to Gwen, as Percy suggested, he had something more pressing to do. So he gave her a slight wave, then turned and walked back down into Gwen's bunk. This morning, when this had been little more than a vague plan in his head, he'd noticed some writing materials on her desk. It was a little strange being in her bunk without her and Arthur refused to look at the bed. Grabbing some piece of paper, ink and a quill, Arthur retreated into his own bunk.

+

"Hey," Gwen stood at the door of the gun hold where Elena was. Since Mercia, Elena had been avoiding her. "Thought I would find you here."

"Where else would I be? I'm Elena, the weapons girl." Elena kept her eyes on the canon but the bitterness in her voice was obvious.

Gwen sat down next to Elena. "Did Percy upset you?"

"Percy? He's a sweetheart." Elena's polishing of the canon increased in intensity and Gwen quickly covered Elena's hand with her own.

"It's Arthur and I, isn't it?"

Elena said nothing, pulling her hand from under Gwen and continued polishing the canons. Worried but unwilling to press, Gwen picked up a cloth and moved to the next canon. In terse silence, they polished side by side. Memories of a similar scene played in Gwen's head. Then, Elena was a stowaway on the Excalibur, and sent to the gun hold as punishment for mouthing off at Gwen's father. Feeling sorry for her, Gwen had joined her. She and Elena had spent the whole time grumbling about her father and how unreasonable he was. The hour had passed quickly and by the end, the two of them had laughed so hard, they were in tears – tears of remorse they pretended when Gwen's father came to get them. It was a far cry from the scene now.

"Elena." Dropping the cloth, Gwen twisted her body so she faced Elena. "Talk to me."

Elena dropped her cloth as well but she continued to stare straight ahead. "I thought I was your best friend."

"You are," Gwen said immediately.

"Then why don't you tell me the truth of what is happening between Arthur and you? I'm not blind." Elena continued to stare ahead but, even then, Gwen could see the tension in her jaw.

"What truth?"

Finally, Elena turned to Gwen. "That you care for him. That this isn't just some physical arrangement between the two of you."

Gwen twisted her skirt in her hands as she considered her words. "I thought if I didn't tell anyone, it would be less true."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means," sighed Gwen, "that I don't want to care for him." Then she let her head drop back and Gwen stared up at the ceiling of the gun hold. It looked like it needed cleaning. "There's no future for us. Even if I weren't Captain Gwen – he's going to marry a princess. That's what princes do. Not that I necessarily want a future with him. And of course, there is that little matter of his father wanting to destroy us."

"I don't care about his father's attack – we'll survive it. We've survived so much all these years together." Elena moved so they were sitting hip to hip. Her tone gentled. "Excalibur is the only time I've been happy, that I've belonged. And suddenly it seems like it's all disappearing."

Gwen took Elena's hand. "You said you were thinking of leaving the Excalibur."

"Yeah. I did. I don't think I really meant it."

"No?" Gwen smiled. "I thought life on the Excalibur was too peaceful for you."

A wry smile appeared on Elena's face. "Not the past few weeks."

"It's the uncertainty, isn't it? The fact that we don't know what the future brings for us."

"I certainly never thought it would bring a prince to your bed to disrupt all our lives." Elena's fingers curled around Gwen's hand.

"Do you really think we could have sailed on the Excalibur forever?"

"I hoped. You and Arthur – you're going to let him go, aren't you?" This time, Elena's tone was calm.

"You know me too well. It probably won't stop Uther's attack but you're right. I care about him and I won't use him as ransom."

With a sigh, Elena said, "I hope he's worth it. But you are captain and I'm sorry I made such a fuss in Mercia."

Gwen stopped looking at the dirty ceiling and turned to look at Elena. "You were upset."

"I thought you cared about him more than you cared about Excalibur – about us."

"You were right you know - I haven't been happy on the Excalibur. It's all the pretending, the maintaining of this reputation. Everything decision I make, everything I do – it's just to further this whole thing. I never even wanted to be a pirate!"

"What are we going to do?" Elena asked.

Laughing, Gwen shook her head. "My only skills are commanding a pirate ship. I have no idea. At least you and Percy can join another ship."

"I'll never see you or Merlin."

"Perhaps I'll make a life on land and you can come and visit."

This made Elena laugh. "You know I'm not leaving Excalibur to join any old pirate crew. I'd join another notorious one and imagine what people will say if they see me visiting you."

"Maybe Merlin will have perfected his invisible spell by then and you can visit me invisible."

"Look, I love Merlin as much as you but I'm not letting him use any of his magic on me. You remember the last time –"

"You looked really cute with all that hair."

Elena narrowed her eyes. "I looked like a bush of hair. Anyway I'm happy with my short hair. No more trying to grow it out quickly for me."

"Have you made plans for Camelot's attack? I don't know how long we can outsail them."

"Percy and I have come up with some ideas but frankly, we don't know enough of their navy or their preferred tactics. Also, we're one ship up against a fleet. We definitely need Merlin's magic and Percy is right. We need to focus on defense."

"No destroying of the Camelot navy?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "I apologized already!"

Gwen leaned over and pulled Elena into a hug. "We'll survive it. And then, we'll cross the next bridge when we get to it. And this may sound sappy, but we'll always be friends."

+

With Arthur on night duty, Gwen tossed and turned in bed. She missed him next to her, which didn't bode well for the time when he really had to leave the ship. Pulling on a robe, Gwen slipped out of her bed and made her way to the deck where she knew Arthur would be. A few steps onto the deck and she saw, silhouetted again the moonlight, Arthur leaning against the rails. The cold night wind made her shiver and she pulled the edges of her robe closer.

Even before she reached him, he turned and in the moonlight, she could see the smile that grew on his face. It complemented the little dance her heart did. He didn't move, but she could feel his eyes on her as she made her way to him. The moment she was within arm's length, he held her waist under her robe and pulled her close, his lips covering hers.

"You're on guard duty. You shouldn't be distracted." When Arthur finally ended the kiss, she slid one palm down his chest, her other hand still tangled in his hair.

"Then you shouldn't be here, distracting me."

Wriggling out of his hold, Gwen crossed her arms. "So it's my fault?"

"No." He took a step towards her yet didn't touch her. His breath fluttered against her face. "It's entirely my fault for letting you worm your way under my skin like that."

"I'm an irritation. Is that what you're saying?" Gwen bit down on her lower lip, trying to stop herself from smiling. Her fingers curled into her palms so she wouldn't touch him. Two could play this game.

Somehow, even without touching her, Arthur seemed to have moved even closer. "If you were an irritation, I'd be happy to be rid of you. Yet, that doesn't seem to be the case."

He was so close all she had to do was tilt her face up, and she'd be able to brush her lips against his jaw. But she didn't. "Seeing that you're my captive, I think I am the one with the power to decide if I want to be rid of you."

"That's very true." He dipped his head a little so his lips brushed against her ears. "So, what are your orders, Captain?"

"I think for now, another kiss with suffice." Arthur obliged, his fingers threading into her hair, his thumb rubbing against her cheek. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself closer, dropping her head back as his lips grazed her throat. "We should stop."

"You say that with no conviction." He chuckled against her throat, the vibrations sending desire shooting through her.

Gwen closed her eyes. "You should be keeping watch. If we're ambushed –"

Arthur's hand was at her hip, smoothing over her trousers, sliding over her thighs. "Perhaps you should keep watch."

"Must I remind you that I get to give the orders?" Gwen said on a sigh.

Arthur nipped her shoulder. "If you keep watch, I promise it'll be worth it."

"Deal."

When, instead of rewarding her, Arthur pulled away, Gwen opened her eyes about to protest, only to see him smiling far too smugly at her.

"You can't keep watch with your eyes closed. Keep them open." At her nod, Arthur resumed his trail of kisses along her shoulder and collar bone. He mouthed her breast over her light shirt then moved lower and lower, until he knelt in front of her, his hands cupping her hips. "Keep your eyes open."

Her legs could barely hold her up and keeping her eyes open was a feat in itself. She tangled her fingers in Arthur's hair for support as he undid the ties on her trousers. The cool night air blew against the bare skin Arthur exposed, raising goose bumps. When Arthur's lips brushed against her exposed inner thigh, she shuddered and tensed, warmth flooding her. Unconsciously, she tilted her hips, trying to bring more of her in contact with Arthur.

"Arthur."

"Keep your eyes open. We don't want a surprise attack."

"No one attacks at night." Gwen groaned when he pressed a wet kiss against her inner thigh.

"Perhaps a fire then." He bit her thigh lightly when her eyes fluttered close. "You should watch in case there's a fire."

Gwen blinked several times but kept her eyes open, her fingers digging into Arthur's skull. The undulation of the ship under her didn't help. "I am."

"Good." And with that word, Arthur finally settled his lips between her legs.

+

Merlin was far too sociable and getting him alone was a challenge in its own right. Eventually, after practically stalking him the whole day, Arthur finally managed to corner him in the hold. More accurately, Merlin suddenly asked Arthur to follow him to the hold. Once the door closed, Merlin turned to him. "Alright. Why have you been following me all around today?"

The lie came immediately. "I wasn't."

"Oh, please. Everywhere I turned, you were lurking. So out with it." Merlin took a step back as suspicion entered his eyes. "Were you hoping to figure out our plans for your attack?"

"I wouldn't call it my attack." But his words lacked conviction and Arthur felt the stirrings of guilt in his gut. But guilt about what, he couldn't figure. "But I am here to talk about it."

Merlin said nothing and continued to watch Arthur warily.

With a sigh, Arthur dug into his pocket and pulled out the parchment he'd been working on. "Take this. It's not poisoned."

"What is it?" Merlin made no move to touch the parchment, earning him a scowl from Arthur who shoved it closer to him.

"If you take it, you'll find out." Arthur snapped. The guilt was already eating at him. This time he knew the source. He was the Prince of Camelot and he was doing this.

This time, Merlin gingerly took the parchment and slowly unfolded it. He frowned, tilting his head. "What are you keeping from Gwen? What is this?"

"What does it look like?"

"It looks like a bird with muddy feet decided to walk all over -"

Arthur lunged towards Merlin and grabbed the parchment out of his hands, slamming it down on a nearby table. "Look. These are ships."

Merlin tilted his head again. "They look like worms to me."

"Merlin."

A quick grin crossed Merlin's face before he quickly hid it. "So ships. Yes."

With a strangled groan, Arthur jabbed a finger at the parchment. Passing Merlin the parchment was supposed to be enough. Explaining it felt like even more of a betrayal. "These. Are. Ships."

Crossing his arms, Merlin lifted his brows. "So you keep saying."

"Camelot ships."

"Oh." Arthur took great pleasure in the shock that wiped Merlin's suspicious look off his face. Taking a step closer, Merlin peered at the parchment on the table. "So this is -"

"Yes." Arthur waved a hand. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. On his heel, he turned and made his way to the door.

"Wait. Why don't you just give this to Gwen?"

His hand on the door, Arthur stopped but didn't bother to turn back. "I don't want her to feel guilty and refuse to use it."

He heard Merlin chuckle. "Less than a month and you know her so well."

"Shut up." Yanking open the door, Arthur walked out.

+

It was a few days later and Percy was teaching the deckhands again, leaving Arthur to wander the decks. As he scanned the horizon, his mind drifted to Gwen, as it always did. It was stock take time and she was busy, even spurning his offer to help, telling him that he would be more of a distraction than help. Not that she was wrong. He smiled, remembering how he'd distracted her from her logbooks the night before.

Then, he noticed the smoke.

He didn't have a spyglass with him so he rushed over to where Percy was still lecturing the deckhands.

"Problem?" Percy stopped mid-lecture and turned to him, frowning.

"There's a ship on fire." Arthur kept his voice low. Knowing what he knew of Gwen now, he was certain she would demand they rescue the ship under the guise of robbing them. "North."

Unhooking his spyglass from his hip, Percy strode towards the quarterdeck where Elena stood. Arthur followed, aware of the eyes of the deckhands on them. Standing slightly apart as Percy relayed the news to Elena, Arthur watched as Elena lifted her own spyglass and stared out into the sea. Turning on his heel, Arthur walked to the hold where Gwen was.

"What do you want to do?" Percy asked quietly when Gwen and Merlin finally arrived.

"What we always do. Change our course."

"Yes, captain." Together, Merlin and Percy left the quarterdeck, presumably to get ready for the rescue.

Leaning against the fiferail, Gwen turned to him as she braided her loose hair. "I thought it would be nice to not braid my hair for a while. Now look at the mess it's in."

"You still look beautiful." Arthur took one step towards her. Then another until he was almost touching her. "I suppose we're off to rescue another burning ship?"

"I suppose there's no point trying to be the bloodthirsty and cruel pirate you think I am." Only the little twitch of her lip told Arthur she wasn't completely serious. He reached one arm out and pulled her towards him. Her smile widened as she pressed against him. "I can be bloodthirsty and cruel if you want."

Dipping his head, Arthur nipped her bottom lip. "The only cruelty you're capable of is arousing me this way, then abandoning me."

With a laugh, Gwen pressed her palms against his chest and pushed herself out of his hold. "I have a ship to rescue. Are you going to help or not?"

Arthur grinned, leaning against the rail as he watched her walk off, her hips swaying, beckoning him to follow her. So he did. Slowly, Arthur walked down the quarterdeck, to where the main crew stood on the main deck. Unsurprisingly, Elena cast him a withering look as he joined them but she bit her tongue.

"We should be approaching the ship in twenty minutes. Then we'll lower the gangplanks and storm the ship. Merlin should be able to put out the fire easily as long as we keep the crew distracted."

Elena spoke. "We should take some valuables, for appearances."

"Fine. But don't go overboard." Gwen turned and squinted into the horizon. "Percy, get the sails rigged. I'll lead the crew on the ship. Merlin you hang back."

With a sharp nod of his head, Percy left the group, followed by Elena. "Keep an eye on the ship," Gwen said, handing him her spyglass. Glad to have been given something to do, Arthur snagged the spyglass from her hand and walked to the quarterdeck. Lifting the spyglass, he watched the ship. It was nothing out of the ordinary - it looked like every other merchant ship. Arthur was pretty sure that once they saw Gwen's bright red flag, they would surrender easily. No reason to go up against the scourge of the seven seas. He laughed at the thought.

He peered through the spyglass again and the smile on his face faded.

A familiar flag with the symbol of a dragon on it fluttered in the wind. Arthur kept looking, wishing that his eyes were playing tricks on him. But they weren't.

It was a merchant ship from Camelot.


	11. Chapter 11

He would rather she yelled at him, hit him or reacted in any way. Instead, Gwen stood, back facing him, in silence. She busied herself tying her hair into a tight plait, her movement jerky, her posture stiff.

“Gwen. Look at me.”

Finally, she turned, her face blank although her eyes blazed with a mix of emotions he couldn't parse. “Do we know it’s a merchant ship and not a ploy by your father? No. Never mind. Why am I asking you? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to leave?”

Her first words since he told her about the merchant ship and they hurt. Which made no sense whatsoever because he had been planning to leave since the moment he stepped on board the Excalibur. When she made to turn away again, Arthur grabbed her hand. “I can't answer your first question. It might be a trap. It might not.”

She raised her eyes to him. Her cool gaze made his heart clench. "Then you might as well leave."

"Gwen."

“What do you want? Do you want me to beg you to stay? Tie you up?”

He dropped his hand. “I don’t know.”

“Just go. I’m not going to stop you. Go back to Camelot. Maybe you can convince your father not to attack.” At that moment Arthur realised that he rather her be cold and harsh because he hated the defeat in her tone. She turned away from him. Her hands loosened her braid and again, she tied her hair up. 

In all his imaginations, he hadn't thought it would be so painful to leave. "I wish -"

"I learnt a long time ago that wishes are useless." 

He ached to hold her, to ease the tension in her spine, to make her all sorts of promises he had no way of keeping. Instead, he curled his hand into fists and moved towards the door. He placed one hand on the rough wood of the door but found that he was unable to push it open, as if stepping over the threshold of her room was a step he couldn't never turn back from. The swirls on the wood taunted him. Leaning his forehead against the door, he sighed her name. Then, decision made, he pushed himself from the door, swung around and walked to where Gwen stood. 

"Gwen."

"Why aren't you gone yet?"

"Look at me."

Her eyes were red but dry. Her head lifted in defiance, she looked every bit the woman he had come to care for.

"I don't want us to part this way." Slowly, he reached for her hand, relief flooding him when she didn't flinch or move away. "The past few weeks, they will always mean a lot to me."

This time, when she looked at him, the coldness in her eyes was gone. Arthur pulled her closer until their chests touched. One hand cupped her face, the other, he wrapped around her waist.

Her voice was thick when she spoke. "I overreacted."

"No. You didn't." He leaned forward, letting his forehead rest against hers, as he tangled his fingers into her braid, loosening it again. "It's an impossible situation."

Her eyes fluttered close and Arthur could hear her soft breaths. "Why?"

Arthur didn't know what she was asking - why were they caught in this situation, why did he have to leave - so many questions that had no satisfactory answers.

"If I were not the prince of Camelot, and you not the ferocious pirate who captured me," he whispered.

A small, sad smile ghosted across her face. "If we were not who we were, we wouldn't be here."

"No." 

Her eyes opened, this time filled with an emotion that made his own heart swell. She flattened her hand against his cheek, her voice thick with unshed tears. "Kiss me."

Before she could even finish her words, Arthur dragged her to him and slanted his lips across hers. It was a desperate, hungry, clinging kiss. He wanted her to remember him when he was gone, to remember the weeks they shared, to imprint himself on her. He wanted her to know how she made him feel even if he couldn't quite say the words. 

Eventually, they had to break apart, their harsh breaths mingling. Arthur pressed gentler kisses against her lips, her cheeks and her eyes as her nails dug into his arms. "I'll never forget you," he rasped. 

A shudder ran through her and finally, she was the stronger one, moving out of his arms. Her voice trembled but she held herself straight. "When we board their ship - that would be the best time for you to leave. You can disappear in the mayhem, hide a while then reappear when they are far from us."

"And Elena? Percy?"

"They won't stop you. Here,” she stepped towards him again. “You might need this.”

Arthur looked down and watched as Gwen pressed a dagger in his hand. He dipped in head in acknowledgement. "Thank you."

She blinked rapidly, gave him a slight, watery smile then turned away. "Good bye Arthur."

Her words were like cold water. This time, he pushed against the rough wood of her door and when it opened, he stepped out. “Take care, Gwen.”

The door swung shut behind him, latching with a click. Arthur walked back to his bunk – the bunk he’d barely spent any time in since his capture. It was empty, the same way he felt. With a sigh, Arthur sank onto the hard bed and buried his face in his hands. Behind his closed eyes, Gwen’s face taunted him – smiling, laughing, gazing at him with open affection. Briefly, Arthur wondered if his kingdom was worth giving up Gwen. A bitter laugh escaped him. As if he had a choice. At least if he returned, he might be able to convince his father not to attack.

+

Neither the warmth of the sun or the salty sea breeze could ease the dull pain that throbbed in her heart. Her hands gripping the railing, Gwen stared blankly out at the sea. Slowly, but surely, they were approaching the burning ship. She was a pirate. There was no reason for her to rescue the ship. Frankly, she never wanted to rescue another burning ship ever again. 

After Arthur left her room, she'd tied up her hair again, splashed some water on her face then made her way to the quarterdeck to join Merlin and Percy. It was Merlin who, in a low whisper, mentioned that the ship was a Camelot ship.

"I know," she'd replied, training her eyes on the plume of smoke in the distance. The two men simply stood there, saying nothing. Gwen let herself soak in the familiar rhythm of waves against her ship. She could feel their eyes on her and after a few moments, she turned to face them.

“Elena?”

“At the guns,” said Percy. “This might be a trap.”

Gwen nodded. “Best to be safe.” Then she added, "Arthur will be allowed to leave."

"Captain -" Percy started but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"No one is to stop him from leaving."

“They will not thank us.” Percy’s words were mild but she had sailed with him long enough to know he was disapproving.

“I know. Trust me, Percy, I know.” Her fingers curled tighter around the rail. “Be prepared for battle.”

“Yes, Captain.”

When Percy was out of earshot, Merlin finally spoke. “Does Arthur know?”

Biting down on her lip to stem the tears that kept threatening to spill, Gwen nodded. She turned to look at the horizon and the approaching ship.

“And he’s decided to leave.”

She nodded again, bracing herself for Merlin’s chiding. Instead, she felt the weight of his arm around her shoulders and a whispered “I’m sorry.”

Trying for a smile, she looked at Merlin, hating the pity she saw in his eyes. “Don’t be. I got myself into it. I can handle the consequences.”

“Of course,” he said softly. “Now, let’s talk tactics in case the ship is a ruse by Uther. Elena is waiting for us. My estimate is that we have about half an hour before we get to it.”

Squaring her shoulders, Gwen nodded. The Pendragons might have broken her heart but that didn’t mean they would take Excalibur from her. Behind Merlin, Gwen pulled herself together and crossed the deck to where Elena and Percy were.

Elena gave Gwen a look when Gwen approached. Clearly, Percy had passed on her instructions regarding Arthur. “We should turn away. Even if this is not a trap by Uther, I am sure that those on the ship have heard of the kidnapping of their prince. Who’s to say what they will do? If you really want Arthur to escape, give him a boat. He can row to them.”

“It would take too long to turn the ship,” said Percy. “We can try but there’s no guarantee we will be able to turn early enough to avoid any confrontation.” 

Gwen nodded. “We need to be prepared for an attack.”

“There doesn’t seem to be any ships with them so I doubt they are planning to overwhelm us with their fleet. If they are a trap, then they are likely to either try and kill you and rescue their prince.”

“I agree,” said Merlin. “That’s why I will stick with Gwen at all times.”

"I can take care of myself," said Gwen.

Merlin narrowed his eyes at her. “I still want to ensure you stay alive. Thoughts, Elena?”

For the next few minutes, they discussed possibilities and options, most of which depended on Merlin’s magic. Despite the worry that churned in her, Gwen tried to put on a brave face. Her decisions, her consequences. The rest of Excalibur should not have to suffer for it.

“Keep the junior deckhands below. I don’t want them involved in any battle.”

“Of course.” Elena finally smiled at her, placing a comforting hand on her. “We can do this.”

Percy nodded. "Places. We're approaching."

Quickly, Gwen hugged each one of them. As Percy and Elena walked off, she turned to Merlin, placing her hand on her cutlass. “I guess this is it.”

“It’s probably going to be just a merchant ship – oh.” Merlin tilted his head and Gwen looked up. Arthur stood silhouetted by the blazing sun. “Go on. It’ll be a few minutes yet.”

Arthur watched her expressionlessly as she walked to him. But when she got nearer, she saw a blaze of emotions in his eyes. 

“You should be getting ready to leave.”

“It’s not like I have a lot of things.”

They stood some distance apart, as if getting too close would be too painful for both of them. She stared at him, wanting to burn the image of him standing on Excalibur into her memory.

“I want you to have this.” He took a step towards her, taking her hand and curling her fingers around something. He kept his hand around hers, preventing her from seeing what it was he’d given her. His kiss was brief, barely a brush against her cheek before he strode away.

Only when she could no longer see him did Gwen slowly open her hand. Nestled on her palm was a ring. The royal signet. When she closed her hand around it again, she had to blink and look up into the blue skies to stop herself from crying.

+

Elena fired the first warning shot, the shot flying over the bow of the ship. Through her spyglass, Gwen could see the crew scrambling around the deck, the man she thought was captain yelling futilely at them. It was clear, now that they were closer, that this was more likely than now just a normal merchant ship in distress. 

“We’ll board soon,” said Percy. “I suggest you stay back, Captain.”

Slipping the spyglass back into her belt, Gwen withdrew her cutlass. “No. On my orders.”

The first returning shot was fired, easily repelled by Merlin’s shield. Behind her, Gwen heard Percy give last minute instructions to the crew. But Gwen focused on the merchant ship as it got closer. 

“Now!”

She leapt, crossing the distance between the boats easily. Immediately, someone engaged her in battle. The problem with merchant ships, experience had taught Gwen, was that they were mostly manned by men who weren’t very good at hand-to-hand combat. So it was with little difficulty that Gwen disarmed him, pushing him towards one of her crew to handle. She needed to get to the Captain. Elena kept firing warning shots. A sword sliced her shoulder, but it felt little more than a flesh wound and she pushed her way forward. 

“I suggest you stand down.”

The Captain raised his sword. “You have a nice bounty on your head. And you have the prince.”

“And you have a burning ship and a panicky crew.” With a quick duck, Gwen easily disarmed him, grabbed his sword and yanked him into a headlock. As she spoke, she signaled to one of her crew to tie his hands up. “You seem ill-prepared for a rescue mission.”

By now, Percy and his men had subdued the rest of the crew. From where she was standing, Gwen could feel the flames from the growing fire. 

“Here’s what is going to happen.” Gwen pressed her cutlass into his back. My men are going into your hold and relieve you of some items. Then, we’ll leave your ship. We have no use of a sinking ship like this.”

The Captain spat. Percy took a menacing step forward but stopped when Gwen shook her head.

“Would you rather I kill you and your men?”

“What difference would it make? Uther will kill me when he finds out I encountered you and failed to bring you in.”

This made Gwen laugh. “Really? A mere merchant ship going up against Excalibur?” She shoved him to his knees then stepped in front of him.

“He’s sent the navy out to find you. You’ll not run for long.”

Confirmation that the Camelot navy was after her made her stomach clench, yet Gwen smiled coolly. “The ocean is a large place. And while I appreciate Uther’s dislike for me, I am pretty sure that you’ll not run afoul of him.”

“You have no idea what Uther Pendragon is like,” snapped the Captain. “Slaughter us now. It is better than returning.”

“No,” said Gwen. By now, Merlin had quelled the fire and Percy caught her eye. Their job was done. Leaning over the Captain, she sliced through the ropes binding his hands. “Go. And tell Uther than the Excalibur won’t be cowed so easily.”

Stumbling to his feet, the Captain made a grab for his sword but Gwen held it away. Percy herded the crew to the middle of the deck.

“Let’s go.”

Back on her ship, Gwen tossed the sword back to the captain. As the Excalibur moved away from the merchant ship, the adrenaline that had surged in her during the boarding slowly seeped away, leaving Gwen with a sense of emptiness. With a jerk, she tore herself away from Percy and Merlin, walking quickly to her bunk.

Even though she knew better, she pushed open the door to her bunk hoping to see Arthur sprawled on her bed, smiling lazily at her, beckoning her to join him. 

But all that was there was the signet ring.

+

Arthur felt like a stowaway – which he technically was. Still, crouching in the dark was painful not least because he could hear the fighting that was taking place on the deck, fighting that Gwen was involved in. Merlin would look after her, he told himself, then settled further into the corner he was hiding. The moment Gwen and her crew had boarded the ship, Arthur had boarded as well but instead of plunging into the battle raging on the deck, he’d slipped into the hold.

He rubbed his now bare finger. Giving her the signet ring was an impulsive act, but he’d wanted to give her something, something that would remind her that those few weeks weren’t just a dream. For all he knew, she’d sell it to fund her continued life on Excalibur but even that thought didn’t upset him. She loved Excalibur and if his signet ring allowed her to continue, it was good enough for him. There would definitely be stories, exaggerated and wrong, most likely, of Excalibur in Camelot – people were fascinated by the cruel lady pirate – and he could keep track of her that way.

Closing his eyes, he could picture Gwen on the quarterdeck, her hair tied in her usual braid, the loose tendrils fluttering in the wind. She’d be staring out into the horizon, her head tilted in that proud, confident manner she preferred to show the world. Behind closed doors, she her confidence and strength was tempered by her kindness and her intelligence. But of course, the greatest pirate in Albion would have strategic mind. She would have made a great queen.

The thought hit him like an arrow, straight to his heart.

“Alright. See how much they made off with!”

Footsteps and chatter pulled Arthur from his thoughts. His hand on his dagger he unfolded himself. Best to reveal himself now. 

“Who goes there?” There were whispers than the familiar sounds of swords being drawn.

His hand curling tightly around his dagger, Arthur took a step forward. Immediately, a sword was at his neck.

“Speak! Who are you? Are you part of the Excalibur crew?”

Slowly, Arthur slid the dagger back into his belt and raised his hands. “I’m Prince Arthur of Camelot.”

He supposed it might have been too much to hope that they would recognize him. Instead, they’d tied him up and dragged him to the deck. Arthur bit down on his lip to stop from smiling at how frazzled the Captain looked. 

“My men say you claim to be the Prince of Camelot.”

“That’s because I am. I am sure you heard about how I was kidnapped by Captain Guinevere of the Excalibur.”

The Captain eyed him suspiciously. “And you managed to escape?”

“I did. It wasn’t easy.”

“Do you have proof you are who you say you are?”

For a moment, Arthur thought of his signet ring, then shook his head. “No. She took everything of value from me.”

The Captain continued to study him, clearly weighing his options in his head. It took a while but the Captain suddenly barked at a scrawny lad by his side. “Keep him tied up but put him in an empty bunk.” He focused his eyes on Arthur. “You understand, we have to be careful but should you really be the prince of Camelot, we’ll allow you to stay in a bunk as we sail back instead of throwing you into the hold.”

“I understand,” said Arthur. “And I assure you I’m not lying. You will be rewarded handsomely by my father.”

The Captain harrumphed, then left him to the mercy of the scrawny lad.

“What’s your name?” Arthur asked as he was led down to the bunks.

“Gili.”

“Were you involve in the fight earlier?”

“Of course. I am the first officer.” Gili yanked opened a door and gestured for Arthur to enter.

“The Excalibur crew – did you manage to weaken them?”

Gili stood in the doorway, looking far too young to be a first officer. “They were very strong fighters, the Captain especially. But her arm was bleeding, so I guess someone managed to hurt her.”

The smile Arthur gave Gili was forced and when Gili finally left the bunk, Arthur lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Gwen would be fine – it was probably a minor wound and Merlin would be able to heal her. He remembered when Percy too had shoved him into a bunk. He remembered how Gwen had entered later to dress his wound. He remembered the first time they kissed. A dull pain throbbed in him and he closed his eyes, letting himself recall the way she smiled at him, the feel of her skin against his, the talks they shared in Mercia. Slowly, the memories of Gwen lulled him to sleep.

+

Her hair was loose and trailing over his chest, tickling him.

“Gwen!” His eyes flew open and he stared at her. “How – what?” Happiness unfurled in him as he slid an arm around her naked waist and lifted his head up for a kiss.

“Arthur,” she gasped, her hands gripping his shoulders. 

“Why are you here?” He demanded, cupping her face. “Are you nuts? This is dangerous.”

She brought her head down and kissed him lightly. “I needed to tell you –“ 

“What?” What could be so important that she snuck back onto this ship?

“I love you.”

He gaped at her, even as every part of him was suffused with joy. Slowly, he lifted his hand to stroke her hair. “Gwen. Gwen. I –“

The door slammed open and someone yelled his name. 

Arthur groaned, opened his eyes and looked around. He was all alone in the bed. There was no Gwen. The disappointment was crushing. 

“Captain wants you on the deck. Come on.”

Even as Arthur trudged back up to the deck, he kept replaying the dream in his head. That was until he saw who was kneeling on the deck, in front of the Captain, all tied up.

“Mordred!”


	12. Chapter 12

The Captain of Siege Perilous, much like the name of his ship suggested, was a cruel man. It was only the possibility that he might truly be Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot, that spared him the treatment that was inflicted on Mordred. Foolish Mordred who had followed him onto the ship. Arthur quick lie that he was Arthur’s personal servant stayed the Captain’s hand but looking at the wound on Mordred’s back, Arthur couldn’t help but wonder if death would have been kinder.

Mordred hissed into the pillow, his muscles tensing, as Arthur dabbed at the blood with the rum-soaked cloth. A long, angry wound transversed the length of Mordred's back, apparently the result of a small mistake he'd made while rigging the sails. Even his father would frown upon the use of whips on men.

"Come now, it's not that bad." A lie, of course, but experience had taught Arthur that sometimes lies were a necessity. He washed the cloth with water stained dark with Mordred's blood. "It won't be long before we reach Camelot."

"I'd die before that," said Mordred, his voice muffled by the pillow. "Is this what your kingdom is like? Cruel and hard?"

Arthur stilled at Mordred's words, the instinctive desire to defend his kingdom kicking in. Instead, he said blandly, "My father is not a kind man."

"You were kind to me." Mordred turned his head so he faced the wall.

"I am not my father." Words he’d told Gwen before. He pressed the cloth against another wound, eliciting another hiss from Mordred.

The wounds were nasty and Arthur wished he’d some of those herbs Merlin dished out on Excalibur. But he had to make do with rags, rum he had persuaded off Gili and sea water. According to Gili, Camelot was a week’s sail away – one more week of watching Mordred be ill-treated, one more week stuck in his bunk.

Once the wounds were as clean as he could get them, Arthur used whatever cloth he had been able to get his hands on to wrap Mordred’s back.

“Will your father kill me when we get to Camelot?” The vulnerability and fear in Mordred’s voice tore at Arthur.

“I won’t let him.”

Mordred nodded. “Why did you leave Excalibur?”

“We’ve had this conversation before – in Mercia, remember?” Arthur had questioned his decision several times over the past few days. He didn’t want to rehash it with Mordred. “Why did you follow me?”

Once again, Mordred shrugged and gave his usual non-answer. “I thought it was a good idea at that time.”

With a sigh, Arthur tucked the end of the bandage in then smoothed his hand over it.

“I miss Excalibur.”

Arthur’s heart clenched. He missed Excalibur too and his dreams were full of Gwen and things that could have been. “Things will be better in Camelot. I promise.”

“Will you stop your father from attacking Excalibur?” Twisting his head, Mordred looked at him, eyes wide and Arthur wished he had the naïve hope Mordred still bore.

“I will try." He ruffled Mordred's hair. "Now, get some rest. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Burying his face back into the pillow, Mordred nodded. Pain and exhaustion meant that sleep claimed him easily and soon, Mordred was snoring lightly.

Arthur washed the cloth, draping them on the small table next to the bed. His eyes raked over Mordred, vulnerable and small in his bed, the yellowed cloth wrapped around his back, a reminder of all Arthur had done wrong on Excalibur. He should have never had gotten emotionally involved with any of them. Settling on the hard floor, Arthur closed his eyes. Perhaps his father was right - Arthur was too emotional, cared too much. He had neither the resilience nor the character to command a navy, much less a kingdom.

_I am stripping you of your position because you have not shown the mental strength needed to carry out your duties._

_I am not killing innocent –_

_They may be innocent now but mark my words, they will not stay that way for long. You are young and foolish. When you show me that you understand how the world works, I’ll reinstate your position._

What about Gwen, a tiny voice asked. She cared and she commanded a ship with a loyal crew.

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut, willing the voice to shut up and his body to sleep. Thinking of Gwen achieved nothing except a dull pain in his chest. The uneven wood poking into his back didn’t help and no amount of shifting would make the floor any more comfortable.

Somehow, Arthur must have fallen asleep because when he opened his eyes, the morning sun was already streaming into the small cabin.

“Mordred!” The door slammed open and Gili walked in. He looked at Arthur, then raised his eyebrows. He turned his attention back to Mordred who was still curled on the bed. "Get up! Work starts in 10 minutes. And you, my lord, the Captain wishes to dine with you for breakfast."

After hauling Mordred out of bed and checking on his wound again, Arthur made his way to the Captain's bunk. While smaller than Gwen’s ship, the merchant ship was laid out in the same way and the walk to the bunk only made him remember the many times he’d visited Gwen’s cabin. Unlike Gwen’s cabin, Hengist’s was full of ostentatious trophies of his haul from his various trades. Gold plates, silver plates and paintings blinked at him, many Arthur recognized as being of great value.

“I hear you wanted to have breakfast with me.” Arthur drew himself up and looked straight into Hengist’s eyes.

“My lord.” Hengist’s tone was mocking. “Come in. We have been sailing together for a few weeks and we’ve not had a good chat.”

Arthur walked into the cabin. “Perhaps it is because you have kept me prisoner all this time,” he said archly.

“Sit down, my lord. You have to admit that you snuck on board from the Excalibur and you have no proof of who you are. I have to be careful. You never know what that cruel pirate is up to.”

Arthur bit his lip to stop himself from jumping to Gwen’s defense. She would not thank him for destroying the reputation she hid behind. Instead he nodded. “I understand your caution. She is a cunning one.”

The grin Hengist flashed him made Arthur’s skin crawl. “She is also very attractive. I would have liked to have captured her, break her –“

“What is it you wanted with me?” Arthur’s hands curled into fists by his side and refused to take the seat offered.

“Oh nothing,” said Hengist. “I thought we should get to know each other better.”

Arthur took a step towards the table, placed his hands on it and leaned towards Hengist. “Let’s get a few things straight – I am grateful for your rescue, as small a part as you played in it, I am grateful for the ride back to Camelot and my father will reward you handsomely. But we are not friends, we will never be friends.”

“I’m not expecting friendship,” said Hengist. “Just some form of goodwill.”

“Take the reward my father will give you and be happy you have that.” Arthur walked to the door. “And frankly, if you wanted my goodwill, you wouldn’t treat my manservant the way you have.”

“So the rumours were right.”

Arthur stilled, his hand on the door. “What rumours?”

“That you’re no longer commander of the navy because you’re too soft.”

A direct strike, Arthur thought with a twinge of bitterness. He pushed open the door. “Have a good breakfast.”

+

She wasn’t really keeping track of the days. She wasn’t. Yet she knew it was 3 weeks to the day since Arthur had left Excalibur. According to her calculations, he should be arriving in Camelot in about a week. He would be happy to be home and that thought comforted her as much as it also tore as her heart.

In the weeks since Arthur left, life returned to normal on Excalibur. It was almost as if the prince of Camelot had never been on their ship at all. They sailed on, looking for treasure and rescuing the occasional ship in jeopardy. Ships still cowered at their flag, Percy and Elena fussed over Excalibur and Gwen and Merlin sunbathed on the deck.

Only, Gwen went through the days with a strange sense of emptiness in her that made her days that little bit duller. The sun shone less brightly and the ocean breeze felt less freeing. When Lancelot had left her, she’d been angry and hurt but she had never felt this way.

Unconsciously, she pulled out the chain around her neck and wrapped her hand around the ring that hung from it. Her eyes closed and Arthur’s face entered her mind, his eyes warm with affection. Pain washed through her and she could feel the tears gathering. She blinked, trying to blink away the tears.

“Gwen? Are you thinking about him again?”

“Sorry,” said Gwen as she turned to look at Elena. “Are we nearing?”

“Percy thinks so. This is definitely going to be much easier than the Fisher King. Just a quick spell from Merlin, then treasure.”

“Good. If there is as much treasure as rumours suggest, we will have a good cushion for the next few months.”

Elena was now standing next to her. “Especially if Camelot doesn’t attack.”

Gwen slanted a look at Elena but said nothing. The prospect of a Camelot attack still hung over them and by now, they had developed a variety of strategies to survive such an attack, something made easier by the fact that Arthur had given Merlin a rundown of the Camelot navy’s preferred tactics. Foolish prince, she thought with an aching heart. Foolish, caring prince.

“Do you think Mordred is alright?” Elena turned and leaned against the railing.

“I think Arthur will keep him safe,” said Gwen.

“Yeah. He’s that sort of man, isn’t he?”

Amused, Gwen looked at Elena again. “A good word about Arthur?”

“He wasn’t all that bad.”

“No,” agreed Gwen. “He wasn’t.”

Elena’s arm went around Gwen. “Come on. Dinner should be ready.”

Merlin was in a good mood during dinner and even Gwen found her spirits rising. “I’ve managed to make all the treasure in the hold invisible,” Merlin crowed between mouthfuls.

“As long as you can make them un-invisible! Treasure that can’t be seen is worth nothing.” Elena shook her head but smiled.

“Don’t worry. Every single bit of treasure is visible now. I was thinking, after we get this treasure, can we dock at a nearby port? I have some stuff I want to buy.”

Gwen let the chatter between her friends wash over her. For years this had been enough for her. It should still be enough now. She had her ship and good friends. It should be enough for her.

+

When the ship docked at Camelot’s port, it almost felt like a dream to Arthur. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been away for this long before – sailing with the Camelot navy meant he’d often been away from home for long periods of time – but now, it didn’t feel like coming home. Familiar sights and sounds buffeted him, yet Arthur felt strangely disconnected from it all, like a visitor instead of their prince. In shackles, Mordred walked beside him, quiet and nervous. They made their way through the market, looking no different from the many merchants and sailors who travelled through it daily. There were whispers and stares that suggested they knew who he was, but no one said anything out loud.

The knights at the outer gates of the castle were the first to properly recognize Arthur.

“My lord!” They snapped to attention, the gaze focused ahead even as Arthur could see the curiosity in their eyes.

“You can stand down,” he said easily. For the first time since landing in Camelot, Arthur felt like the prince he was. “Perhaps you should go ahead and send news to my father.”

With a nod, a knight quickly ran before them into the castle.

“So you are indeed the prince of Camelot.” Hengist bowed deeply. “My lord.”

Arthur ignored him and continued towards the castle. He slowed only when he realized Mordred had fallen behind. “Take off his cuffs,” Arthur snapped.

Instead of the smarmy arrogance Arthur had been subjected to on the ship, this time Hengist obeyed without a word. As Mordred rubbed his swollen, red wrists, Arthur walked in step with him. “When we meet my father, do not say a word. Let me do the talking, understand?”

Mordred nodded.

The knight worked fast, Arthur thought wryly, when approaching the courtyard, he noticed that a small welcoming contingent had been assembled, including Gwaine and Leon. At the head stood his father and Morgana and next to her, Arthur realized with a sinking heart, was Mithian.

His betrothed.

His wife-to-be who he had conveniently forgotten about.

“Arthur!” His father flew down the steps of the courtyard and he grabbed Arthur by the shoulders. “By the gods! You’re alive.”

“Father,” said Arthur, dipping his head.

His father touched his face and arms, concern and worry in his eyes. “You’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine, father.”

"I told you he wouldn't perish so easily," said Morgana. Lifting his eyes, he smiled at her.

Uther stepped back, finally satisfied that Arthur was well. His eyes focused on the group of men with Arthur. “And you are?”

Immediately, Hengist swept into a dramatic bow. “Hengist, my lord, Captain of the Siege Perilous. I rescued your son from the Excalibur.”

“That is quite the feat, especially for a merchant ship. Many have tried to defeat the cruel captain of Excalibur but none have succeeded in years.”

Arthur flinched at his father’s words, but kept his head lowered.

Hengist literally glowed at Uther’s praise. “It was not an easy task but the moment I realized that your son was on the ship, I knew we had to do all we could to rescue him.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Father, if you don’t mind, I am tired.”

“Yes, of course.” Uther clapped Arthur on the shoulder. “You must be exhausted. We can listen to your story during the celebrations tomorrow. Captain Hengist, you are welcome to join us in our celebrations tomorrow. Morgana, please see that Hengist and his men are well rewarded for their valour. Come, son.”

Morgana’s response was pleasant but Arthur could hear the undercurrent of resentment. So even after all this time, she and Uther were at odds.

“I would like a room prepared for Mordred.” Arthur gestured to Mordred. “He was very instrumental in my survival and he’s been hurt because of me.”

With a careless wave of his hand, Uther ordered the servants to look after Mordred.

“Sire,” said Mordred, when he realized that he was about to be separated from Arthur. Tension and anxiety were written all over his face.

“Mordred. The servants will take good care of you and your wounds.” Arthur dropped his voice, leaning towards Mordred. “Don’t tell them anything about the Excalibur. I’ll see you soon.”

As they walked along the corridor to Arthur’s chambers, Mithian, who had stayed quiet all this time, slipped her hand in the crook of his arm. Startled by her action, Arthur stopped walking and looked at her.

“I have missed you,” she said quietly.

“I am flattered,” Arthur finally said, wondering at her words. Their engagement had been announced just a few days before Arthur had embarked on that fateful journey with Gwaine and Leon and they had barely spent more than a day together. And even that was with both their parents around.

Her fingers stroked his arm and he tensed. Her touch wasn’t unpleasant but that didn’t stop Arthur from wanting to pull away and it didn’t stop Arthur from feeling as if he was betraying Gwen. But his father was watching them and Arthur plastered a smile on his face and walked towards his chambers.

“Get some rest,” said Uther roughly. “It’s good to have you back.”

They stood at the door to his chambers, Mithian’s arm still tucked in his. She looked up at him. “Would you like me to stay with you?”

“No!” Quickly, he tempered his outburst with a smile. “No. I fear I will not be good company as I am very exhausted.”

“If you wish,” said Mithian. Arthur was relieved when she didn’t seem disappointed.

“Come. Let’s leave Arthur to recover. I will send George in to see to you.” For a moment, it seemed like Uther was going to hug him, but in the end, all Arthur got was another slap on the shoulder and a nod.

Closing the door behind him, Arthur looked around his chambers. Like the rest of Camelot, it looked as if nothing had changed in the weeks that he’d been gone. In a perfect world, he would slip easily back into his role as prince of Camelot, continue to try and win back his position in the navy and marry Mithian. Two months ago, he had been satisfied, happy even, with these plans. No, Arthur corrected himself. In a perfect world, Gwen would be here in his chambers with him. She wouldn’t be the enemy of Camelot. Percy and Elena could join the navy and Merlin would be a sorcerer of some sort, in this perfect Camelot in which magic was not feared and banned.

With a sigh and as a dull pain wrapped around his heart at the futility of his desires, Arthur crawled into his bed. On the Excalibur, he’d been well taken care of but the same couldn’t be said about his treatment on the Siege Perilous. His head touched the pillow and he finally, able to let down his guard and stop worrying, exhaustion and stress of the past two weeks overwhelmed him.

+

George was still very efficient, dressing him in his royal garb with minimal fuss.

“Thank you,” said Arthur as he took the offered ceremonial sword.

He’d spent most of the day in bed, mostly feeling sorry for himself. By tomorrow, his father would expect him to resume his duties and he wouldn’t have time to wallow in his grief – and it was grief that ate at him. From his upcoming marriage to Mithian to the celebrations he was duty-bound to attend this evening, Arthur felt the shackles of being prince tightening around him.

George opened the door and Arthur stepped into the corridor.

Sir Buckley announced him and a chorus of cheers and applause greeted his arrival. With far too much ease, Arthur slid into his role, smiling and nodding, accepting the congratulations and well-wishes of the various nobles and knights.

“Do you feel more rested?” Mithian placed a hand over his as he slid into his seat between her and Uther.

Arthur nodded curtly, then slowly removed his hand. Scanning the dining hall, he realized that Mordred was not anywhere.

“Where is Mordred?”

“You mean that lad you brought with you?” Uther tore his attention from a council member. “I understand that he’s not well and is dining in his room. You shouldn’t worry so much. Now, let us begin.”

A signal from Uther and the entertainment started up as the servants served the food. Food on board a ship could not compare to food in a castle and for the first time since Arthur had arrived back in Camelot, he actually looked forward to something.

For most part, the celebrations was a light-hearted affair. As he ate, Arthur listened, and nodded in the appropriate places, as Morgana, Mithian and Uther discussed all Arthur had missed. Occasionally, various nobles or knights would come up to congratulate him on his successful escape.

As the last course was served, the musicians struck up a tune and several nobles took to the middle of the room to dance.

“Shall we?” Mithian asked, a small smile on her face.

Arthur hesitated. He didn’t really want to dance with Mithian. He didn’t really want to have anything to do with her but the fact was, Arthur was going to have to marry her. He thought of Gwen, the pain that accompanied it made him suck in a harsh breath.

“Arthur? Are you alright?” Her hand rested gently on his arm. Her voice hardened. “That cruel pirate. What she did, she needs to be punished.”

“I’m fine,” said Arthur, shaking his head slightly and taking her hand and rising from his seat, not wanting to listen to her talk about Gwen. “I think I can manage one dance.”

When Arthur first met Mithian, his first thought was that she was absolutely gorgeous and he was going to be the envy of all the kingdoms. Now, even as he held her so close he could feel her breath against his cheek, even as he could feel the envious gaze of many of the guests, all his mind could think of Gwen. Regret that he’d never danced with her weighed heavily in his stomach. She would have loved dancing, her hair loose and flying as they twirled, her eyes sparkling and her smile wide. He would have held her so close that not even light would be able to pass between them.

“Excuse me.” Sir James stepped in just as the tune ended. “May I?”

Mithian looked at him and Arthur nodded. “Sure.”

The moment Sir James took Mithian’s hand, Arthur retreated to the edges of the room. From the corner of his eyes, Arthur saw Hengist and his men laughing and drinking. He would be glad to see the last of them.

“So,” Gwaine was clearly well into his second drink when he walked up to Arthur. “I have to admit that I never thought I’d see you again.”

“I was lucky.”

"What is Guinevere the bloodthirsty pirate like? Did she keep you alive to seduce you? Did she torture you?”

Arthur shot him a dirty look but with the dim lights and Gwaine’s slightly inebriated state, Arthur was sure he didn’t notice. “She kept me alive because she thought I could be used as leverage.”

Gwaine’s laugh was mocking and Arthur had to clench his fists to stop himself from punching him. “What a fool. She underestimated you.” Gwaine slapped Arthur’s back. “I am impressed that you outwitted her. You’ll be a great asset in our quest.”

Ice encased his heart. “Quest?”

“You didn’t think Uther would take your kidnapping lying down, did you?” Gwaine drank from his mug. “I’m to lead a fleet to hunt her down and destroy her. You should come with us. Get your revenge.”

“I heard rumours that Essetir was planning an attack.”

Gwaine shrugged. “There has been some skirmishes at the borders but we don’t think it’s anything serious. My mug is empty. I’m going to get a refill.”

Arthur watched as Gwaine pushed through the crowd. He knew his father would want to attack Excalibur, not just as revenge but also because anyone who could bring Excalibur to her knees would be a force to reckon with. He knew this yet hearing Gwaine say it out loud still sent an arrow of panic shooting through him.

His eyes went to where his father still sat, talking energetically to some of the council members. He looked at Mithian who was still dancing with Sir James. Morgana hovered in the corner of the room, deep in discussion with someone he didn’t recognize. Gwaine grabbed the waist of a passing lady, flirting excessively.

Every one of them wanted Gwen dead and he couldn’t let that happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to F and Ancel for looking at parts of this to assure me that it's alright.


	13. Chapter 13

Unlike Mercia, Mora was much smaller and less busy. As usual, they docked as far away from the main port as possible, trying to draw as little attention to themselves. While Elena, Percy and Merlin wandered around the small town, looking for supplies, Gwen walked into a tavern, secured some rooms for the night then settled herself at a table in the corner with a tankard of ale.

She let her mind wander as she sat, warmed by the large, blazing fire in the middle of the room. Arthur should be in Camelot by now. She wondered if he still remembered her or if court life had pushed her from his mind. As prince, he would have more duties and responsibilities than her. Perhaps there was a princess waiting for him at home. Gwen took a gulp of ale, trying to wash away the dull throb of pain.

" … Essetir … darkness …"

Next to her sat a group of men. Mercenaries, Gwen thought, as she examined their clothes. Light armour, swords and daggers. Easy to move around. Determined to take her mind off Arthur, she leaned towards them. Perhaps they would drop hints about treasure.

"The small kingdom of Ismere has already been overrun," said one man.

"In a day," said another.

The third man looked around nervously. "I heard there was an army of skeletons."

Now Gwen was very interested. Ismere was a small town but under the protection of the much larger kingdom of Othanden. And if Othanden, the one place in Albion in which magic still flourished, couldn't fend off Essetir, it meant that Essetir had suddenly become very powerful. A very strange occurrence since it had been thoroughly defeated by Camelot not that long ago.

"I'm sorry but were you talking about Essetir?" Gwen stood up and walked to them.

The three men around the table looked warily at her. "If you're from a ship and you're planning to sail there, I'd make other plans."

"What is happening there?" Picking up her tankard, she slipped between the men, settling on an empty chair.

For a moment, her brashness seemed to render them speechless but finally the oldest looking one let out a sigh. "Essetir has been expanding her borders."

"Despite the peace treaty?"

The taller, bearded one laughed. "Did you expect it would last? It lasted for over a year which is pretty good in my experience."

Gwen bristled at his condescending tone but back her retort. "Cenred is back to his power hungry days."

"I don't think he ever left it behind. The comprehensive defeat by Camelot the last time round only meant he had to rebuild his army."

The oldest man scoffed, "Rumour has it he's used magic to raise the dead to fight for him. Very cunning of him to start with Ismere. Camelot won't get wind of this for some time yet." He looked Gwen up and down. "I wouldn't get involved if I were you."

"I wasn't thinking of getting involved," said Gwen lightly.

"Then why the interest, lass? If you think the chaos makes for easy thieving, I suggest you think twice." Then the oldest man frowned. "You don't have family in Essetir or Ismere do you?"

Gwen shook her head even as she wondered about Percy. He always said all his family was dead but he'd grown up in Essetir. Surely he had friends there, friends who he cared for.

The bearded one nodded. "That's good. Listen to an experienced mercenary. Avoid Albion politics. It'll get you killed."

"I don't like the magic," said the third man, a squat, round man who was missing all his hair. "It's one thing to have pockets of druids practicing their magic and using it to heal people now and then, but this, raising the dead – it's wrong, you know."

"Well, Ismere is down. I bet Othanden is next."

"Nah, Cenred wouldn't take on Othanden so quickly. Amata, though – it's small and strategically positioned."

Over the men's heads, Gwen saw Merlin enter the tavern alone. Leaving her now empty tankard on the table, she stood and walked over to him.

"Hey. Find anything interesting?"

Merlin shrugged. "Got a few herbs and such. I did hear interesting things though."

"So did I."

Merlin looked at her. "You got our rooms?"

"Come on."

Once secured in their room, Merlin flopped on the bed. "It's nice to be lying on something that isn't bobbing."

"What did you hear?" Gwen perched on the side of the bed. "I heard about Ismere."

"Yeah. That's unfortunate. But more importantly, did you hear about the magic?" Merlin propped himself up on one elbow. "Essetir is using magic."

"Unlike Camelot, they never banned magic."

"Well, yes. But this isn't any magic. It's powerful. Having power over life and death? It's something I can only dream about."

Gwen stared at him. "Have you dreamed about that?"

His leg shot out and jabbed her thigh. "Of course not! What do you think I am?"

"I don't think it concerns us. We just have to keep away from any of the warring kingdoms." Gwen stretched out next to Merlin.

"And Camelot."

"And Camelot. Doesn't leave us with a lot of places to go," said Gwen, the pain she'd briefly forgotten flaring up in her again.

Immediately, Merlin took her hand. "Are you alright?"

"Shouldn't I be?"

Merlin squeezed her hand and Gwen closed her eyes. "You've not spoken of –"

"I don't want to. It happened and now it's over."

For a while, they lay side by side in silence. Then Merlin's stomach rumbled and Gwen turned her face to him and smiled.

"Sorry."

With a laugh, Gwen sat up and tugged at Merlin. "Come on, let's get some dinner. Then I could do with a good sleep on a non-rocking bed."

* * *

Not training for so long had made Arthur rather rusty with a sword. At least, that's what he told himself as he threw himself into the training sessions, often staying a little longer than the rest. This time, it was rain that stopped his training. With a growl, he tossed the sword at George.

Arthur navigated the familiar route to Mordred's room. Despite being mostly useless, Arthur made an effort to check in on him regularly. After that, he was due to meet up with his father for another tedious dinner. Mordred's wound had become infected, according to Gaius, the court physician, which worried Arthur. So far, pleading injury and exhaustion together with the insistence that any ships leaving to hunt the Excalibur down had to include him had delayed any attempt to go after Gwen. But Arthur knew his father's patience would hold out for only so long.

And then there was Mithian.

Just as Arthur raised his hand to open Mordred's door, it opened.

"Morgana!"

"Arthur!" Quickly, she closed the door.

"Why are you visiting Mordred?" Arthur narrowed his eyes at her. "He's under my protection –"

"Yes, yes," said Morgana, waving her hand flippantly. "I didn't go in to kill him, if that is what you're worried about."

Arthur leaned against the door and crossed his arms. "I don't believe you went in because you were concerned about his welfare."

"Maybe I did."

"And maybe George will learn to sing. Morgana, what on earth are you up to? Leave Mordred out of whatever games you're playing with father."

Morgana stared at him as if she was trying to read his mind. Then her long fingers curled around his wrist. "We need to talk in private."

"Morgana –" But despite his protest, Arthur let Morgana drag him to her room. She yanked him inside, slammed the door shut then gestured for him to sit, which he did obediently. He'd learnt a long time ago that defying Morgana's wishes never led to anything good. "What is it?"

"Where did you find Mordred?"

Arthur stood. If Morgana thought he was about to talk about Gwen, she could think again. "I'm not talking about –"

Her fingers grabbed him again, this time her nails dug into his flesh. "Look, father might be blind but I am not. Something happened when you were captured, something you're not telling us. And then you come back with this magical boy. To Camelot! If you wanted to keep him safe, you would –"

"Magic?" Merlin was magical. Mordred was a pain. "Mordred has no magic at all."

Morgana dropped her hand. "You don't know."

"I've been trapped on a ship with him for over a month. I would know."

"No wonder he's so confused when I asked him about his magic. He doesn't know either."

"How can he have magic and not know it?" Arthur slumped in the chair again. "Surely -"

"Sometimes it doesn't manifest till you're older," said Morgana quietly.

There was a strange quality in her voice. As realisation dawned on him, he took a step back. "Morgana."

A dagger was suddenly at his throat.

"Not bad," Arthur said. "But what are you going to do? Kill me? Father wouldn't be pleased."

The dagger pressed harder into his throat as Morgana looked steadily at him.

"How long have you known?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Known?"

"That you have magic." When she didn't answer immediately, Arthur sighed. "I am not going to run to father and tell him."

This time, she let her dagger drop. And while she still stood tall, Arthur could see a flicker of fear in her eyes. "I only mentioned it because I thought you'd helped Mordred knowing he was magic."

"I am not going to betray you Morgana," he said, reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder. "I am not father and I've began to think that magic isn't what father thinks it is."

"He's always said magic is evil, a dark power that needs to be destroyed." She sat on her bed, the dagger placed beside her. "Two years ago, I started having dreams. They were detailed, vivid and they scared me. But when things I dreamed of started happening, I started to worry."

Morgana's words were matter-of-fact, but Arthur could imagine how frightening it must have been, how alone she must have felt. He took one of her hands. "And you've told no one for two years?"

She shook her head. "Who was I going to tell? Uther would have had me killed. And you, you were always Uther's son."

"I am not my father," he said. "You've covered my back many times in the past, defended me in front of Uther. Did you think I wouldn't do the same for you?"

"This is magic."

Merlin and his loyalty to Gwen sprang to mind. "And having magic doesn't make you a bad person."

Morgana's eyes bored into his, suspicion clouding them. "When did you decide that?" Her eyes narrowed. "What exactly happened to you on Excalibur?"

His first instinct was to deny anything happened. But Morgana had just confided in him and Arthur felt obliged to return the favour. "I got kidnapped, as you well know."

"They seemed to have treated you well. You're not injured, you've not lost any weight."

"They did."

"Strange. I heard that Captain Guinevere is as heartless as her father was."

The need to speak up for Gwen rose in him but Arthur pushed it down. "I am not going to tell father about your magic. And you're right. Things I saw on Excalibur has made me reconsider father's stance on magic. Perhaps it's not all evil."

He saw Morgana swallow. "I'm not evil."

Reaching to pull her into a hug, Arthur agreed. "You're not. And you won't be."

Finally, the tension that had held Morgana upright eased out of her and she hugged him back. He hadn't hugged Morgana like that in a while. Not for the last two years at least. Eventually, she released him, cleared her throat then smoothed her dress down. And then she was Lady Morgana again.

"Now, you're planning to hide that young boy here?"

Arthur sighed. "I didn't know he had magic. How do you know anyway? Mer- How did you find out?"

"What? Mer?"

"Nothing. How did you know he has magic?"

"He spoke to me. Sort of. In my dreams." Morgana pushed herself off her bed and walked over to the window.

"And what did he say?" Arthur stood as well.

She turned to look at him. "It wasn't like speaking with words. It was just a pull. If he doesn't know he's magic, he might use it inadvertently."

"Did you?"

"Once or twice. I set curtains on fire remember?"

Arthur frowned. "You said you had forgotten to blow off your candle."

Her smile was wan. "And now you know the truth."

Arthur placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're not evil, Morgana. I've learnt that you can have magic and still be a pretty decent person."

"How - right, never mind. Something happened to you on Excalibur. I wish you would tell me."

"Maybe someday. When it isn't so real anymore." Arthur walked to the door. "I'm going to check on the kid."

Morgana nodded.

* * *

Arthur was distracted, his mind dwelling over Gwen, as Sir Lancelot, Uther's newest knight, went through various requests from villagers, nobles and the occasional kingdom.

"Hull village claims that Essetir has been stealing from them and request assistance."

Uther laughed. "Essetir are small time bandits. Send a small group of knights down."

"There's more, Sire." At Uther's nod, Lancelot continued. "They claim that Essetir has been using magic. Their men are invincible."

Uther's laugh was even more mocking. "Aside from Orthanden, there is no magic powerful enough in Albion to create an invincible army."

"I'm sure you're right, Sire," said Lancelot, although Arthur, roused from his daydreams by the conversation, noted the frown that accompanied his words.

"I'll go take a look," said Arthur.

"You? If you're feeling better, you should start preparing to sail out to defeat Excalibur. It's been over a week since you've been back. I want -"

"Defeating Excalibur will be a dangerous task. This will allow me to judge if I'm fit to go after Excalibur." Arthur was amazed at how easily lying to Uther came to him nowadays.

"I'll go too," said Morgana. "Arthur needs someone to protect him, lest he gets kidnapped again."

Arthur rolled his eyes at Morgana who smiled back at him.

"Bring Leon with you. It will all be a wasted trip, let me tell you. It's just hysterical villagers." Uther shook his head. "What else is there, Lancelot?"

When Lancelot finally finished his list of requests, Uther dismissed the council.

"I want to talk to you, Arthur."

Just about to walk out with the rest of the council, Arthur stilled. He took a breath, turned and sat back down in his chair. "What about, father?"

"I think it would be best for you and Mithian to get married soon. I've spoken to her about it and she's agreeable to a wedding held next week."

"Next week? That's too soon."

"You were quite eager to marry before you left on that ship," said Uther slowly.

Arthur felt a knot tie itself in his stomach. "It doesn't seem fair that I should marry Mithian then embark on a revenge quest against Excalibur."

"Why not? You'd take the whole navy and with your knowledge of Excalibur, the risk of you not returning is minimal."

"Father -"

Uther leaned forward, his eyes hard. "I don't care. I want the wedding to happen soon."

"I would really prefer to deal with Excalibur first before getting married."

"Then you'll need to arrange for it to happen earlier, don't you?"

It was then, with a sick feeling, Arthur knew his father had trapped him. As calmly as he could, Arthur nodded. "I will arrange for the Excalibur quest to happen immediately after I return from Hull."

"Good," said Uther, a cold smile spreading across his face. "In the meantime, I'll ask for news from the other kingdoms about where she might be."

* * *

It was Elena's excited squeal that alerted Gwen to Kilgarrah's arrival. She opened one eye to see the large dragon hovering over them. His large wings flapped lazily, making her ship sway with unnatural force.

Kigarrah never made social visits, so something must be brewing in Albion.

Merlin scampered up from the lower deck, before skidding to a halt just a hair shy away from where Gwen was reclined.

"Killy!"

"Young warlock. I bring news."

"What news?" asked Merlin as he reached down to help Gwen up.

She pushed her hair out of her face and looked at Kilgarrah. "Is something happening?"

"Magic," said Kilgarrah. "It's rising. Someone has found the Isle of the Blessed."

The look on Merlin's face suggested that this wasn't good news.

"The Isle of the Blessed?" Elena stepped forward. "What is that?"

"It is where magic begins," said Kilgarrah. "And someone has taken the crystal - the source of all magic."

"This has nothing to do with me," said Merlin firmly. "Nothing."

"Is that what Essetir is using?"

"It doesn't matter because we're just going to sail to some place far from any of this," said Merlin.

"That's a good idea -"

"A good idea if you don't mind Albion consumed by dark magic." Kilgarrah kept his focus on Merlin. Something was going on between them that Gwen didn't understand.

"We'll survive," said Merlin.

"Suit yourself. Should you change your mind, the witch of Camelot will be of help." With a toss of his head, Kilgarrah made a sharp turn and flew away.

Elena shook her head. "You upset him."

"Sometimes he thinks too much of himself," snapped Merlin. "I'm going back to my bunk."

"Looks like you upset him," said Gwen.

Elena simply laughed as she walked away.

All alone, Gwen lay back down on the deck, letting the warm sun caress her. Later, when Merlin was hopefully in a better mood, she'd ask him about that conversation. Now, her hand went to her throat, easing the chain from her shirt. She rolled the ring between her fingers, before slipping it onto her finger. She had developed a habit since Arthur left, in which she would let herself imagine that he was still around. Just for a moment. Perhaps he was in the hold with Mordred. Or working with Percy on the sails.

Gwen opened her eyes. Nothing had changed and Arthur was still in Camelot. Slowly, she slipped off the ring.

Just as she was about to go below to talk to Merlin, there was a loud explosion. The ship lurched and she had to spread her legs to maintain her balance. Slowly, the ship tilted.

"Merlin? Merlin!" Gwen started to run. "Elena! Percy! Check the ship." She clattered down the steps and dashed to Merlin's bunk. Smoke poured out from the door. Holding a hand up to her face, Gwen pushed the door open and stepped into his bunk, calling his name.

"I'm fine. I'm fine."

Gwen coughed. "What were you doing?"

Through the dark plume of smoke, Merlin slowly emerged. While his clothes were tattered and his face dirty, he looked fine. His bunk, in contrast, was a mess.

"Sorry. I seem to have blown a hole through the ship again."

"I'm glad you're alright," said Gwen. "But Merlin, why were you so careless?"

"Is Merlin alright?" Elena stepped into the bunk. "Oh Merlin! The hole is even larger than that one three years ago!"

Running a hand through his already messy hair, Merlin at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I could probably patch it up temporarily with magic. Stop us from sinking for now."

With a sigh, Gwen nodded. "Yes, do that. Elena, tell Percy we'll pull into the nearest port for repairs."

"On it," said Elena. Then she stopped a few steps later. "We're near Othanden waters."

"We'll dock somewhere isolated," said Gwen.

Elena nodded curtly, then left.

Gwen looked around the destroyed bunk. "Oh Merlin."

* * *

"So you're basically self-taught?" Arthur rode slowly back through the gates of Camelot, his head turned to look at Morgana.

"Now that we're home, I really rather we don't speak of this," said Morgana as she urged her horse to keep up with Arthur. "Uther was right. That was a fairly pointless trip. What did we learn? That skeletons are attacking the border town? What nonsense."

"You don't think it's possible?" Arthur remembered what he saw at the Fisher King and the way Merlin used his magic. "I think magic can be very powerful."

Morgana pointedly looked at Leon who rode a little way behind, then shook her head.

Arthur shrugged.

The castle loomed in front of them and on the steps, Arthur noticed with a sinking heart, that Mithian was standing next to his father. She'd been there waving him off and now, she was here welcoming him back.

"Father. Mithian." He slipped off his horse. From a distance, his father nodded but Mithian walked to him. Forcing a smile on his face, he allowed her to take his arm and they walked back into the castle. Behind him, Morgana allowed Leon to help her off her horse.

"How was your trip?"

"It was uneventful," said Arthur. "I hope you were well in my absence."

"I was. It's nice to have you back. Unfortunately, I hear you will be heading out again soon. To seek revenge on Excalibur and her captain. I hope you punish them severely for daring to kidnap you."

He stumbled slightly, then pulled himself up. Not able to bring himself to agree, he simply kept walking.

"It must have been hard on you." They had turned the corner into the corridor which led to his chambers. "You tense up every time it's mentioned. I wish you would talk to me about it."

Arthur stopped walking, just a few steps to his door. "Mithian, I know we are to be married and I appreciate your efforts at building a relationship but at this moment, it's not something I can do."

"Not something you can do?"

"I'm sorry." He turned to his door, pushing it open. Then he turned back to look at her, at the confusion and disappointment that coloured her face. "It's not your fault."

"Uther says the kidnapping changed you."

He bent his head. "I think it has."

* * *

"How's the head?" Arthur sat on the creaky chair next to Mordred's bed.

"It's fine. Better." He looked up at Arthur, vulnerability in his eyes. "I want to go home."

"You mean Excalibur?"

Mordred nodded. "Surely there's some way to return? A merchant's ship? I'll be good and work hard."

"You don't like it here in Camelot?" Arthur smiled slightly.

Looking away, out of the window, Mordred shrugged. "Not really. I mean Gaius is pretty nice but your sister -"

"She's not my sister."

"Well, her. She came in and said," Mordred's voice dropped, forcing Arthur to lean towards him, even though he knew what Mordred was about to say. "She said I had magic. That's crazy! Merlin has magic."

"Perhaps she was imagining it," said Arthur as kindly as he could. "Morgana has a vivid imagination."

"Whatever," muttered Mordred. "I want to go back on the Excalibur. I miss Gwen and Merlin. I even miss Elena." A whine had crept into his voice and by the time he stopped, a pout formed on his face. "Camelot is boring."

"Then you shouldn't have followed me."

"You shouldn't have left! We were happy on Excalibur! Now we're here and Gwen is far away. And you're going to attack her aren't you?"

Arthur stood and sighed. "Look, if there is any way I could get you back on Excalibur safely, I would. But I can't promise anything."

"Arthur," said Mordred hesitantly just as Arthur reached the door. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"A knight came to see me yesterday."

Warily, as dread pooled in his stomach, Arthur turned back to look at Mordred. "What did he want?"

With every step he took towards the throne room, anger grew in Arthur. Then as he turned the corner, Gwaine came into view, chatting with another knight.

"Gwaine," Arthur said coldly. "Roland, I'm sure you have other duties to attend to."

Roland immediately bowed, then scurried off in the opposite direction. The moment Roland was no longer in sight, Arthur grabbed Gwaine, slamming him against the wall.

"Damn you," he snarled. "I told you. I told father. Leave Mordred alone."

"Hey!" Gwaine shoved back, pushing Arthur away. "I know you're prince but I am the commander of the navy and since I need to draw up a strategy to deal with Captain Guinevere, I thought some inside knowledge would be useful."

"Then ask me. Not some young boy."

Gwaine's smile was cool. "You, being the loyal prince you are to Camelot, would be pleased to know that I did manage to get something out of that young lad. Something I would why you never mentioned."

Arthur resisted the urge to hit Gwaine. "What?" The word escaped strangled and high.

"The lad went on and on about how we would never defeat Excalibur." Gwaine's smug smile widened. "Apparently, the source of the magic on Excalibur is some person called Merlin. So if we attack him, Excalibur will be easy fodder."

His nails dug into his skin, almost drawing blood. His heart pounded so loudly that he could barely hear what Gwaine was saying. He'd been relying on Merlin's magic to keep Excalibur safe from Camelot. He'd expected Gwen to have at least that level of protection.

But now.

"We're in a good position now to completely annihilate Captain Guinevere and the rest of her bloodthirsty crew."

No amount of swallowing would wash away the sick feeling rising in his throat. "Great," he bit out finally. He swung around, desperate to return to his chambers before he did anything stupid. Gwaine called after him but all his mind could focus on was how he'd let Gwen down.


	14. Chapter 14

Smoke. Gwen dropped the spyglass and looked over at Percy.

“The next nearest port is two days away minimum,” said Percy. “What do you want to do?”

“What are the chances we can sneak into Orthanden unnoticed?”

“Pretty high actually. Everyone is probably going to be busy dealing with the attack.” There was wry humour in Percy’s voice. “We can dock off the port.”

“How long do you expect repairs to take?”

“With Merlin’s help, half a day.”

Sailing two days with a hole in the ship was not ideal. Neither was docking at a port in a town that was clearly under attack. Gwen was also painfully aware that it looked very likely that a storm was heading their way.

“Let’s dock. We have to move quickly so get everything we need ready to do the repairs. Take down the flag. We don’t need the attention.”

“Yes, Captain.” And Percy was gone to organize everything.

Leaning over the railing, Gwen continued to watch the sky. Her mind went back to Kilgarrah’s words. Something was brewing in Albion and like Merlin, Gwen wanted no part of it. Having lived most of her life on board the Excalibur, she felt no loyalty to any kingdom and no desire to risk her life or the lives of her men for any of them. Her father had successfully avoided involvement in The Great War five years ago and she could do it now.

“I’m sorry.” Merlin stood next to her, his eyes too focused on the darkening sky. “A storm looks imminent.”

“Were you venting?”

She felt Merlin shrug. “Maybe. Killy is always going on about how I need to help re-establish magic in Albion, which is nonsense really. Magic is powerful and the fewer people with control over magic the better.”

“You almost sound like Uther Pendragon.”

“No,” said Merlin. “I didn’t say go off and kill everyone with magic. I just don’t see the need to bring magic back to the land, as Killy always says.”

“What do you think is happening in Essetir?”

“I think someone stole the crystal and they are using it to take over Albion. You can’t do things like raise skeletons without the crystal.” Merlin sighed. “Anyway, I came out to say when we dock, I’ll make the ship invisible. It’ll be safer.”

Gwen turned to look at him. “You can make the whole ship invisible?”

“Well, I’ve not actually tried it before, but this seems an appropriate time to try, don’t you think?”

“Why not? Just, try not to make things worse.”

Merlin smiled, and Gwen found herself smiling back at him.

* * *

“She was last seen at Mora.”

Arthur looked up from the map he’d been studying and raised an eyebrow. “Really? And how do you know this?”

They must have managed to haul up another load of treasure, then celebrated and stocked up on land. His mind went back to their time in Mercia, the long hours spent together, just the two of them, away from Excalibur, away from their roles.

“People talk. My guess is that she will be sailing towards Orthanden.” Gwaine poked at the map. “It’s not like she has much choice. As brilliant a captain as she is, she is unlikely to risk sailing into the Dark Seas and she’s not going to sail towards us.”

“Is it really worth all the expenditure and effort?” Lancelot, who had kept mostly silent during the discussion, suddenly spoke up.

“That’s not for us to worry about,” said Gwaine. “Uther wants revenge and I’m all for an adventure.”

Lancelot took a step forward. “I just think that with all the rumours about Essetir, the last thing we should be doing is going out on such a risky quest.”

Was Lancelot afraid of going after Gwen? Not that Arthur really cared. It was just nice to have someone on his side. Just last night, he’d made the very same argument to his father. It had ended ugly and Arthur had to reign himself in before he revealed how he felt about Gwen.

“A good point, Lancelot. Unfortunately, one not shared by my father,” said Arthur dryly.

Gwaine cleared his throat. “Can we focus?”

Arthur looked at Lancelot, then he came to a decision, one he’d been mulling over since the fight with his father.

“I understand that you are currently commander of the navy, Gwaine, but this is my quest. I was kidnapped, I suffered under them and I will be the one to exact my revenge.”

Gwaine looked up at him, his surprise barely concealed. “You are Prince. I have no issue. I’m glad we’re seeing eye to eye on this matter.”

With a nod, Arthur continued. “So we sail to Orthanden but we won’t sail with the whole navy.” He raised a hand when Gwaine made to say something. “The more nimble we are, the better. I suggest three ships. Gwaine, you captain one and someone else, the other. The winds are in our favor so it wouldn’t take us all that long.”

“Your father did want a show of strength. Three ships –“

“I know how they fight,” said Arthur coolly, hoping that a combination of arrogance and confidence would stop Gwaine from asking too many questions. “I have a plan.”

“What about the magic boy?”

“He’s nothing without Gw – Captain Gwen’s protection. Leave him to me.”

The look Gwaine gave him was suspicious but all he did was say mildly, “We’ll get the ships ready.”

On Gwaine’s signal, the rest of the men streamed out of the room, leaving just Arthur and Lancelot.

“May I have a word, my lord?”

“By all means.”

“I would like to captain the third ship.”

Arthur leaned against the table and crossed his arms. “Where are you from?”

“A small port, Hower.” Lancelot inclined his head.

“I don’t know you but Uther says you’re eager to be on this mission. He also assures me that you are a fine sailor.”

“I spent a number of years sailing.”

“A merchant ship?”

When Lancelot hesitated, Arthur’s curiosity was piqued.

"You could say that.”

Carefully, Arthur regarded Lancelot. According to his father, Lancelot was as close to perfect as a knight could get – humble attitude, willingness to work hard and good fighting skills. Still sailing on a merchant ship didn’t mean he could captain a ship.

“Did you captain it?”

“Not really, but I am confident I can captain a ship.”

Pushing away from the table, Arthur walked to Lancelot. “Why do you want to captain a ship? Joseph is a perfectly competent captain and he’s worked with us for years. You’ve turned up quite suddenly.”

Instead of cowering away, Lancelot lifted his head and looked Arthur in the eyes, “Because I want to prove myself.”

“I admit that defeating the Excalibur is a good way to prove yourself.”

This time, Lancelot broke eye contact, dropping his head. “Yes, my lord.”

“I propose a deal. Gwaine might be opposed to your captaining a ship but I will back you up. But only if you leave the Captain for me to deal with. I don’t care how good a position you are in and I don’t care what Gwaine says, I will deal with the Captain.”

Something flickered in Lancelot’s eyes but it quickly disappeared. “Of course, my lord. I imagine you want to extract your revenge personally.”

“That’s none of your business,” snapped Arthur. “Now go prepare the ship.”

And then he was all alone. Arthur slumped into a chair, burying his face in his hands. There were so many uncertainties and going into battle with all these uncertainties was bad enough but going into a battle he was determined to lose was even worse. Arthur was pretty sure that Lancelot had a motive for wanting to captain the third ship but he couldn’t imagine what it was. There was also Gwaine. They had been good friends until Arthur had been stripped of his position and it handed to Gwaine. Things had become slightly strained since, mostly a result of his own disappointment and anger. But somewhere on Excalibur, all the bitterness and anger had disappeared. He would rather be himself than the commander of the navy.  

“Finished with Lancelot?”

Speak of the devil, thought Arthur as he lifted his head to see Gwaine leaning casually on the door frame.

“What do you want?”

“We haven’t had a chance to talk since you returned.”

Arthur smiled wryly. “And before we sail off to meet the most feared pirate ship is the best time?”

“Look, I know you’re upset I’m commander of the navy. And I know you never see eye-to-eye with your father. But I have to follow your father’s orders. He might take away all your titles but he will never kill you. Me? I don’t have the protection of being you.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m no fool, Arthur. Nor am I willfully blind like your father. You have no intention of getting any revenge and I don't know why. But honestly, I don’t care that much but I will not be punished because you sabotage this mission.”

Arthur stood. “You’re not afraid of death or of my father. You stood with me when we refused to kill the druids.”

“And look where that got us.”

Shaking his head, Arthur sighed. “You became commander, that’s what. Do what you think you need to do, Gwaine. I’ll do what I need to do.”

“You may not believe it, but I still regard you as a friend.”

“Then don’t get in my way,” said Arthur.

* * *

Arthur glared at Morgana when she came to stand next to him on the deck. "You're a lady of the court. You shouldn't be a stowaway on a ship."

Her only response was a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Why are you even here? Don't you have some events to plan or something?"

The withering look she gave him would make any man falter but Arthur was far too distracted by other matters to care. She looked around, then lowered her voice. "You took Mordred. So I decided to come as well."

"What? How does even make any sense? Look, I don't know what your dreams are telling you but Mordred is distinctly not magic," Arthur whispered.

Her fingers plucked at her sleeve. "I am pretty sure he is. And I have to be here."

Arthur softened slightly at her tone. "Because of your dreams?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Sighing, Arthur said quietly, "What did you dream of?"

"Skeletons. A dragon. And a ship with magic. Your young friend. I’ve had it for days.” She paused, then looked at him. “You fell in love on the Excalibur.”

Arthur stiffened. “Your dreams aren’t as prophetic as you believe. I still don’t understand why you’re on the ship.”

“I had to. I’ve never felt anything like this before. This bond with your young friend.”

Another person to worry about. Shaking his head, he squeezed her shoulder. “Keep yourself safe. I assume you are armed?”

“I wouldn’t go anywhere unarmed,” she smirked. “And don’t forget, I can still take you on one-on-one.”

“Right.” Arthur walked away but a smile played on his lips.

* * *

The storm caught up with them quickly and sailing to Othanden took the Excalibur longer than expected, much to Gwen’s frustration. Sailing with a broken ship was a risk she rather not take. The moment her feet hit the sand at Othanden, Gwen knew that the decision to dock there was the wrong one. Better a storm than skeleton soldiers. So far, they had dealt only with a few that had been stranded away from what Gwen assumed was the main army but their luck would hold out only for so long and with Merlin’s magic focused on keeping their ship invisible so they didn’t attract undue attention, they had had to deal with the skeletons with physical force.

“I can’t repair the ship while it’s invisible!” Percy grumbled.

“I’ll make it visible when you’ve gotten all we need for repairs,” said Merlin. “And hurry!”

“I need to get into town to get more wood. The hole is pretty big.”

“The whole city is under attack. Do you think that the market would actually be functioning?” Merlin asked incredulously.

Percy glared at Merlin. “I am going to take whatever wood I can find. We wouldn’t be in this state if –“

“Go quickly,” said Gwen, wanting to break up the tension. “And be careful.”

"I'll go with him.” Elena walked up to Percy. She grinned. “Keep him safe.”

“I’m sorry,” said Merlin again when Percy and Elena were out of earshot.

Her eyes trained ahead, her cutlass bouncing in her hand, she shook her head. “Things happen. Let’s just focus on repairing this quickly and getting out of here.”

For a while, nothing happened. There were no more stray skeletons and while more smoke billowed from the inland, Gwen felt slightly safer. Once the ship was repaired, being in the middle of the ocean seemed to be the safest place until whatever was spreading through Albion was stopped. She knew people would look towards Camelot for help and she wondered if that was why the Camelot navy had not caught up with them yet. Was Arthur in the midst of preparing to fight skeletons? Did Camelot, with its ban on magic, even stand a chance? Did she care? The tug on her heart when she even thought about Camelot suggested an answer to her question.

“Skeletons,” said Merlin, interrupting her thoughts.

“Hmm?” Gwen turned back to look at him, noticing that he looked even paler than he usually was. “What about them?”

“Killy is right. Someone has stolen the crystal. You can’t do such magic without something to enhance your powers.”

“The druids?”

Merlin shook his head. “No, they are peaceful, mostly. And their magic is passive. No, it’s someone who can wield magic the way I do and has a lot more practice than me.”

“Kilgarrah mentioned a witch in Camelot.”

“Maybe. Although I am surprised she survived in Camelot, what with their views on magic.” Merlin shuddered a little. “I’m not going to be able to keep the ship invisible for much longer. Where is Percy?”

Gwen looked around. “Don’t tire yourself, Merlin. I think everyone is too busy fighting to care that we’re docked here.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Merlin dropped his hand and slowly, the ship flickered into view.

“That was pretty awesome.”

Merlin grinned. “It was. I’m exhausted now.”

Smiling at Merlin, Gwen shook her head then turned to watch the area. It was not surprising that unlike the rest of Othanden, this area was deserted. Huge, sharp rocks jutting out of the sea made it difficult for ships to get close to the shore and the sandy beach was strewn with seaweed and various debris, probably of ships that foolish attempted to land here without the aid of magic.

“Did you hear that?” Merlin crept up beside her. Colour was returning to his face but he still looked wan.

Gwen listened, frowning. There were footsteps.

“Too light to be Percy and Elena,” whispered Gwen. “Come, we need to hide.”

Without waiting for Merlin to answer, she grabbed his arm and dragged him to a squat behind a large tree trunk. Merlin swore and Gwen’s heart tumbled.

Marching towards them, slowly and steadily, was an army of skeletons. Wielding swords, the bones creaked with every step closer towards the ship and them. Her hand tightened around her cutlass and Gwen hoped fervently that Merlin still had enough magic in him. The army hesitated at the ship, and for a while, Gwen thought they might turn around.

The eyeless, fleshless skulls turned simultaneously towards their direction.

Gwen swallowed, then felt Merlin’s hand take hers. This would be a good time for Percy and Elena to return, thought Gwen.

“How’s your magic?”

“Hopefully, enough.”

But even before Merlin could even raise his hand, the skeletons were upon them. With a quick swing of her arm, Gwen lobbed off a skull, then sent another body flying with a swift kick. Beside her, she heard the crumpling of skeletons to the ground, assuring her that Merlin was holding his own. She ducked just as a sword swung towards her, catching her on her arm. Turning, she dug her cutlass into the ribcage of another skeleton and a quick flick of her wrist sent it falling in pieces. Sand, kicked up by the falling bones, swirled around them, obscured her view.

As she and Merlin dealt with the lumbering, awkward skeletons, it slowly dawned on Gwen that what the skeleton lacked in durability, they made up with numbers. No matter how much she swung or hit, there was another skeleton to be dealt with.

"Merlin?" Gwen dodged a hit, slamming her sword into its clavicle, taking off its arm, then aiming another quick hit to its spine to send it crumbling. “Merlin!”

When Merlin failed to answer, Gwen turned to look behind.

A well-placed hit to the back of her head sent her tumbling to the ground.

* * *

She was pouring over some maps, charting their next route when the door to her cabin opened. When she lifted her head, a smile tugged at her lips when Arthur entered. In a few strides, he crossed over to where she sat, bent over and kissed the top of her head.

“Busy?”

“Just deciding where to head to next,” Gwen murmured but didn’t resist when Arthur tugged her up.

“We’re ready to sail.”

“Did Mordred help?”

Arthur smiled as he snaked one arm around her waist. “He did. He’s developing into a good sailor.”

"Mmm." There was no need to answer, not when Arthur had covered her lips with his, his free hand pulling her shirt free from her breeches and sliding under it.

“Gwen? Gwen?”

Then, Arthur was shaking her, gently at first, then more roughly. Gwen struggled open her eyes. The light hurt and she blinked.

“Oh Gwen!” Then Merlin was all around her, hugging her tightly.

There was no Arthur. And she was definitely not in her cabin on her ship. It was disappointment first then dread that swept through her.

“How are you feeling?” Merlin sat back, although his hands remained on her. It was then Gwen noticed cuffs on them.

Lifting her hand, she touched her head. It was tender and sensitive to the touch. “Head still hurts. What happened?”

“You got hit by one of those skeletons, then this lady shows up.” Worry flashes over Merlin’s face and he lowered his voice. “She’s the one who stole the crystal.”

Gwen’s legs were numb and she shifted slightly to ease the pressure on them. She swallowed the panic that threatened to rise in her. Confidence and self-belief, her father had always said, would get her through anything. “What does she want with us? Why didn’t she just kill us?” Then realization dawned. “Your magic.”

“She didn’t spot the ship. She felt my magic.”

With one hand, she rubbed her legs as she looked around. It looked like they were in a dungeon, probably under the Orthanden Castle. There was a small window high up and an even smaller hole in the door. Otherwise, they were enclosed by cold stone. “Escape isn’t going to be easy.”

Wryly, Merlin lifted his arms. “These cuffs are preventing me from using my magic.”

"I figured as much. I guess we have to rely on our brains to escape.”

“I like that about you. You never give up.”

The feeling was finally coming back to her legs and she stood, running her hands along the walls, trying to find a weakness. “No. Elena and Percy will notice we’re missing as well.”

Her eyes drifted back up to the window. It was small but neither her nor Merlin were very big. But it was high and without Merlin’s magic, Gwen was doubtful they would be able to reach it. She pushed at the door but it was firm. Peering out of the hole, she noted two flesh and blood guards. Were they magic as well?

“You can’t do any magic at all?”

“No. I tried but nothing.” Merlin sighed, “it’s weird not being able to do magic. It’s like a part of me is missing.”

Her head began to throb again and she slid back to the ground, her back pressing against the cold, stone wall. “What do you think they want with you?”

Merlin shook his head. “She never said. Just tied us up and hauled us back here.”

“Her magic is stronger than yours?”

“Perhaps. Admittedly, making the ship invisible did sap a lot of my energy.” He pulled his arms apart, jiggling the cuffs.

Gwen nodded. The throbbing in her head got louder and she closed her eyes again. The fear that she’d ignored thus far rose in her again. While her father, in his quest to steal as much as he could, had gotten into various scrapes, Gwen, as captain, had been a lot more conservative, a lot more careful. In fact, the biggest risk she’d taken was kidnapping the prince of Camelot. And now, she was a captive. She supposed that being a pirate, her life would have eventually led down this path.

She sighed.

“I’m sorry,” said Merlin.

"We’ll get out,” she said without opening her eyes.

* * *

As expected, the winds were in Arthur’s favour and the trip towards Orthanden was a smooth one. In fact, it was far too smooth for Arthur’s liking. It was almost as if the seas around Orthanden had somehow been abandoned.

“It is weird,” said Mordred as he leaned over the rails. “I’ve never seen the seas so empty. If the seas are so empty, would Gwen be here?”

That was the question that was plaguing Arthur and the possibilities were tying a knot in his stomach. If it was true that she had been at Mora and if she was avoiding Camelot, as she should be, then there wasn’t many other places she would be. Unless she was travelling outside of Albion into the Dark Seas and Arthur didn’t want to contemplate the dangers that she would be facing there.

“I hope so. I really hope so.” Arthur looked at Mordred. “When we find Gwen, you should return to her ship.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“I plan to make sure she gets to escape with Excalibur.” Somehow. He’d already insisted that they use the tactics that he’d shared with Merlin, so he knew Gwen would have something prepared. Conversations with Lancelot had given Arthur the impression that he seemed less than eager to destroy the Excalibur, although Arthur couldn’t understand why. But he suspected that Lancelot would be easier to deal with than Gwaine.

“Do you miss her? I miss her.”

Arthur patted Mordred’s shoulder. “Yeah, I miss her.”

“Escape with us.”

He was tempted, so tempted. Arthur wasn’t sure what he would do if and when he came face to face with Gwen again.

“How’s the magic coming along?” Arthur changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on Gwen. She invaded his thoughts all the time but it was still difficult to actually talk about her.

Mordred shrugged and Arthur could feel his tension. “Are you sure Morgana is right?”

“She said you managed to put out candles yesterday.”

“Yeah. Sure. For all you know, it could have been the wind.” Mordred kicked the side of the ship. “Magic is evil.”

Arthur looked at Mordred. “Merlin?”

“He’s different.”

“I’m sure.” Arthur rolled his eyes. Every time he thought that Mordred was growing up, he reverted to his sullen self again. “You know, if you managed to do some magic, you could help Gwen when we confront her ship.”

Although his sulky expression remained, Arthur could feel Mordred’s mind changing. “Huh.”

“Huh.” Then Arthur saw smoke. Lifting his spyglass, what Arthur saw ahead of them made his blood run cold. Orthanden was burning. Why hadn’t there been any news of the attack? Who was attacking Orthanden? And had Gwen gotten herself involved in this?

“Raise the green flag,” yelled Arthur. He needed to talk to Gwaine and Lancelot.

* * *

Having decided that it was more important to investigate what was happening in Orthanden than looking for the Excalibur, the Camelot ships anchored some distance away from the mainland and the crew rowed towards Orthanden on small boats.

On his boat, Arthur had Morgana and Mordred with him, both stubbornly refusing to remain on the main ship. Arthur trained his spyglass on the shore, trying to make out what was happening. The first thing he noticed was Excalibur. Her flag was down but Arthur knew it was Gwen’s ship. His grip on the spyglass tightened as his heart sped up. The ship looked empty. Abandoned? He didn’t know. Panic slowly spread through him.

The next thing he saw was a skeleton.

Gwaine must have had the same thought. “We need to inform Uther,” he said. “We should turn back.”

“No.” Gwen was in trouble and Arthur was not about to turn away.

“Arthur, we can’t deal with this on our own.”

Dropping the spyglass, Arthur turned to look at Gwaine in the boat next to his. “I am going ahead to find out what is happening. You and Lancelot take your ships and head back to Camelot to send word.”

“It’s far too dangerous to go on your own, sire. I’ll come with you,” said Lancelot.

Mordred immediately piped up. “I’m coming too.”

“And I,” said Morgana. “You can’t go alone, Arthur.”

Stubborn people. He shook his head. “Fine. Gwaine?”

Gwaine gave a sharp nod. “Take care, sire. You didn’t escape from a kidnapping to get killed here.”

“Don’t worry. Get the message to my father about what we saw here – that Essetir has magic and is apparently trying to take over Albion. They will attack Camelot sooner or later.”

“The closest ship will be at the borders of Haldor. It’s about two or three days away.”

“Go,” said Arthur. He turned to Lancelot. “Come on. We need to get to shore as quietly as possible.”

As each stroke of the oar brought them closer to the shore, the lump in his throat grew as he silently prayed that nothing had happened to Gwen.


	15. Chapter 15

She loomed over Gwen, eyes cold and calculating. Her hold on her sword was casual, but Gwen hadn't been a pirate captain for years to be so easily fooled. She walked around Gwen, then stopped right in front of her, forcing Gwen to look up at her.

"I admit, this is convenient. A princess of Camelot. What are you doing so far away from Camelot?"

Immediately, Gwen looked away in an attempt to mask her confusion. A princess of Camelot?

“Don’t try and fool me. I saw the signet ring around your neck.” The sword went to her throat and lifted the chain, pulling the ring from where it lay in her bosom. Gwen swallowed. A quick flick and the chain broke, sending the ring falling onto the ground. Gwen grabbed at it but the woman’s foot slammed on it.

“Give it back.”

“Do you deny that you’re a princess of Camelot?” The woman lifted the sword to Gwen’s throat, the tip pressing against her, and considered her for a while. “You must be Uther’s ward.”

“What do you want?” Gwen stared defiantly at the woman. “Who are you?”

The laugh was cold, as cold as the blade that was pressed against her throat. “I will tell you this. Seeing Uther’s beloved ward together with a magic user has filled me with great amusement. Are you in the middle of a rebellious phase? Did you run away? What does Uther think about all this? And more importantly, what will he do to get you back?”

As the woman spoke, Gwen kept her eyes on her and her face expressionless. She would not show fear. A few men hovered in the background but it was clear that this woman was in charge. The way she held the sword, the calluses on her fingers spoke of someone well-versed in sword fighting. Gwen wouldn’t be surprised if she could wield magic too. She must have been the one to have stolen the crystal.

“Now, life would be easier for us both if you cooperate. Tell your magic friend to work with us. Give us Uther’s battle tactics and bring us into Camelot.”

“In your dreams.”

The sword dropped from her throat and the woman squatted down in front of her. Gwen flinched when she patted her cheek, then held her chin roughly. “Brave girl. Brave but foolish. Oh I won’t kill you now, but your usefulness will run out eventually. And I don’t believe in keeping useless people alive.”

Gwen twisted away. “I have no idea what you’re up to, but someone who thinks that destroying a whole town is an acceptable method to get what they want is no one I want to cooperate with.”

“Little princess, it’s the ends that matter. And when this is all over, magic will return to all of Albion. If you cooperate, perhaps I might find it in my heart to spare you and your magic friend.”

“I will never cooperate with you.” Gwen lifted her head a little more. “Something tells me that you’re not trying to return magic to Albion out of the generosity of your heart.”

The woman stood and glared down at Gwen. With a jerk of her head, the woman summoned her guards. “Take her back to the dungeons.”

The guards grabbed her arms unceremoniously and yanked her up. Back in the dungeons, the cuffs on her wrists were removed and she was shoved roughly inside, the door clanking shut behind her. Merlin scrambled up from the corner.

“Are you alright?”

“They took my ring,” said Gwen as she sank onto the ground.

“You mean Arthur’s ring?” Merlin sat down next to her as she buried her face in her hands, finally allowing her anxiety to gain release. “Arthur will understand.”

Lifting her head, Gwen looked incredulously at him as tears pricked the back of her eyes. “That’s all I had of him.”

Then she sucked in a breath. In the grand scheme of things, Arthur’s ring was unimportant. “The woman in charge, she wants to return magic to all of Albion.”

“And her plan is to completely destroy everything?”

“I think this is just a lead up to her destroying Camelot – that’s where most anti-magic laws come from.”

“Orthanden is magic friendly,” said Merlin.

“But worked with Camelot to defeat Essetir in the last war.”

Merlin nodded. “True. Still, those are the politics of Albion which shouldn’t concern us. What should concern us is why we are imprisoned.”

Gwen looked at Merlin. "You can't guess why they want you?"

“Magic I suppose. Perhaps we can bargain for your freedom with my cooperation.” His eyes slid from hers and he dragged his feet closer to him, his magic suppression chains clinking with every movement.

“Do they hurt?”

“They aren’t the most comfortable but I’m fine.” Merlin sighed. “If I offer to cooperate –“

“No. For one thing, I am not letting you be used because of me. Secondly, it’s not going to work – they think I’m a princess of Camelot, more accurately, they think I’m Uther’s ward.”

Merlin’s eyebrows shot up. “The ring?”

She nodded.

“Are they hoping to use you as some sort of bait?”

“I have no idea. It seems likely.”

Merlin frowned and lifted his hand to rub his temple. The chains binding his arms clanked loudly. “They are going to kill you when they realize you aren’t Uther’s ward.”

“Which is why we need to figure out an escape quickly.”

“I still can’t do any magic.”

“I know. We have to go back to plain old physical violence.” Gwen stood. “Good thing I’m not completely useless with my fists. And neither are you.”

* * *

They left their boats a distance from shore, behind some of the large, threatening rocks, and waded through rocks and seaweed to shore. The currents tugged at them but they pushed through.

“Keep an eye on Mordred,” said Arthur to Morgana. “Get him and yourself to safety if anything goes wrong.”

She just rolled her eyes at him, but moved Mordred behind her. As they approached the shore, a lone, lost skeleton surprised them but Lancelot dealt with it easily. On shore, they stood, scanning the land. Aside from Excalibur, it seemed empty.

“There’re two more over there,” whispered Morgana from beside him, tilting her head towards where Excalibur was.

Shielding his eyes from the sun, Arthur squinted. They weren't skeletons. They were in fact, he suspected, Elena and Percy. He scanned the area but it seemed that they were the only two people around. Perhaps, he told himself, Gwen was on the ship, with Merlin. Now that he was on shore, he could see that the Excalibur had a huge hole blown through it.

How had that happened? More importantly, why had they decided to repair their ship here?

"Sheath your swords and stay here. Let me deal with them,' said Arthur. "Lancelot, stay with Morgana and Mordred. I’ll be back soon."

Morgana opened her mouth to protest but Arthur raised a hand to shush her. He could feel her unhappiness but at least she didn’t make any move to go against his orders. Keeping his sword drawn, Arthur crossed the sand towards the ship where Elena and Percival were.

He knew the moment they spotted him. Swords were drawn and they took a step back, towards Excalibur.

"Elena. Percy." He lowered his sword, aware that they probably no longer trusted him, not that Elena ever did.

Elena stepped forward, shrugging off the hand Percy placed on her shoulder. “If it isn’t the Pendragon prince. I knew you would betray us.”

“Where’s Gwen? What happened to Excalibur?” The tension in Elena’s and Percy’s faces did little to ease the fear that was building in his chest. He sucked in a breath and asked again. “Where is she?”

“If you think that –“

“Elena,” said Percy.

Elena swung around and hissed at Percy. “He’s after us for revenge!”

“I swear –“

She swung back, her eyes blazing. “Do you deny it? That you’ve tracked us here to exact your revenge?”

“We’re here to investigate what is happening in Othanden,” said Arthur as calmly as he could. “Now, where is Gwen? Is she in the ship?”

“She’s been taken, probably by the forces that are overrunning Othanden.” It was Percy who spoke as Elena glowered next to him. Percy turned to Elena. “He might help us get her back.”

_She’s been taken._

The words slid like ice down his spine. Arthur had never felt such fear before. And for a moment he was paralysed, the only thought that swam in his mind was that Gwen was in danger.

“Are you?” demanded Elena. “Are you going to rescue her?”

Her sharp words jolted him out of his stupor. He turned back to see Lancelot, Morgana and Mordred in the distance, probably watching him talk to people they thought were enemies. He returned his attention to Elena and Percy.

“Of course,” he said, trying to calm his racing heart and focus. “What can you tell me?”

“We went to get wood to repair the ship. Merlin and Gwen kept watch, and when we returned they were gone.”

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. That Merlin, with his magic, couldn’t keep themselves safe, was not a good sign. “And?”

“We’ve looked around – footprints show they went that way, towards the main town but the borders are teeming with skeletons and guards. We knew we couldn’t take them on,” continued Elena.

“Right,” said Arthur. “There’s another three of us and with you two and a decent plan, we might be able to get into the city to rescue Gwen.”

Elena’s gaze moved to look at Lancelot, Morgana and Mordred. “Us working with men from Camelot? What would your men say?”

“Don’t worry about that. Mordred is with them.” Arthur briefly enjoyed the look of surprise on Elena’s face. “Come with me but don’t say anything.”

“Fine,” said Elena. “Unless I decide I can’t trust you.”

Percy took a step forward and after a moment’s hesitation, Elena followed as well. It was a short walk back to the others but it was a tense walk. Upon seeing Arthur return with two strangers, Lancelot drew his sword.

“Lancelot?” Despite her initial agreement, Elena was the first to speak. “What on earth –“

“You know each other?” Arthur asked in surprise.

Lancelot dipped his head. “I was once a victim of theirs.”

“I didn’t know you were on first name basis with your victims,” said Arthur coldly. It was obvious that something was being hidden from him.

“Elena! Percy!” Mordred darted out from the back. Immediately, Arthur raised a hand to stop him.

Morgana stepped up. “Alright, what is happening here? Who are these two?”

“They are Captain Gwen’s men.”

Thankfully, aside from a look, Morgana said nothing.

“She’s been taken by whoever has invaded Orthanden.” Beside him, Arthur felt Lancelot stiffen. “We’re going to look for her. I can’t get my revenge without her and we need to find out what on earth is happening here.”

Morgana continued to regard him suspiciously. But more strange was Lancelot’s quick agreement. Looks Arthur didn’t understand were exchanged between Lancelot and Elena and Percy, and while Arthur was pleased to see that Elena liked Lancelot as much as she liked him, he had no time to ponder the meaning of all this.

“We have to move quickly. She’s in the main town. You two know where that is?”

Percy nodded. “Yes. We can make it quite easily to the edge of the main town. Getting inside the main town will be a problem. There are about a dozen guards patrolling the entrance.”

“Elena, you stay at the back with Lancelot. I’ll be in front with Percy. Morgana, you and Mordred stay in the middle. We will move as quickly and as silently as possible. Keep your swords drawn.”

No one protested and with a quick nod, they moved forward. Once, many years ago, Arthur had visited Orthanden and he tried to remember what he knew about the kingdom. Not just because anything he remembered might come in useful, but also because if he didn’t focus on the rescue, the thought of Gwen in danger and what she was suffering would tear him to pieces and make him useless.

* * *

Their journey to the edge of the main town was fairly uneventful. A few skeleton soldiers got in their way but they were fairly easy to defeat despite their numbers. Easy but exhausting. At the edge of the town, they hid behind some bushes and looked at the main gate. Several guards patrolled the area together with a large number of skeleton soldiers. The guards would definitely more difficult to deal with than the skeletons.

“The guards outnumber us,” said Lancelot. “But we have the element of surprise.”

“And magic,” said Morgana quietly. “I can whip up a sand storm. It should sweep the skeletons away and give us cover.”

Arthur nodded, ignoring the surprise he knew were on Elena’s and Percy’s faces. “Do that. Stay behind with Mordred –“

Immediately Mordred spoke up. “I can fight too!”

“I know. And I need you to back Morgana up.” That calmed Mordred and Arthur turned to the others. “Get ready to fight. Lancelot and I will take the guards on the right. You two deal with those on the left. There’s no need for mercy. Morgana, I want the sand storm the moment we step out from here. Can you do that?”

“Yes. I’ll try.”

Arthur glanced up at Morgana. She’d never sounded so nervous before. Reaching out, Arthur gave her hand a quick squeeze. She nodded back at him.

“Are you all ready? The storm will obscure our vision. Use your voices.” Arthur looked around at the motley crew he had. Morgana was right to be nervous. He wished he had his whole army with him. He wished he could storm the castle and rescue Gwen.

At Arthur’s count, they emerged from the bushes just as Morgana’s sand storm started. Sand whipped into their faces as they advanced, pleased to see that the guards were taken aback and thrown off. The force of the storm sent the skeletons flying into each other, some even into the guards.

“Keep talking so I know where you are, Lancelot.” said Arthur.

“Yes, my lord.”

Easily, Arthur subdued the first one to stumble upon them as Lancelot took on another. Definitely, Lancelot was a skilled fighter and although Arthur was just realizing that he was harbouring secrets, Arthur was glad to have Lancelot fighting by his side. He hoped Elena and Percy were coping as well.

"Your back!” Lancelot yelled.

Turning swiftly, Arthur thrust his sword into a guard who had crept up on him. The sand storm was slowing. “How many did you get?”

“Three. You?”

“That was the fourth.” Based on his count earlier, they had taken down all the guards on their side. “Let’s move to the other side.”

As they made their way over, the sand storm came to a complete stop. Sand stuck to his clothes, in his hair, on his skin. Percy was still in a fight with one guard but the rest were piled on the ground, next to a pleased Elena.

“The next set of guards are at the castle door. In between the gate and the castle, there’s a few but nothing we can’t handle with a bit of stealth.” Elena greeted Arthur as he approached her.

With a groan, the last guard fell and Percy joined them. “I’ll go get Mordred and the witch.”

Huddled behind a low wall, they discussed their options. “Whoever is controlling everything is clearly powerful and trying to get into the castle from the front would be suicide,” said Elena.

“I agree,” said Lancelot. “But this is a castle and there’s bound to be another way inside.”

Arthur tried to remember the layout of the castle. There had been nothing interesting about the castle which meant that any other possible entrances would likely be in the usual places – the dungeon ventilations and an escape tunnel from the royal chambers.

“The captain is likely to be kept in the dungeons. But the dungeon ventilations is likely to have metal bars. Is there anything you can do about that, Morgana?”

“Not without creating a huge ruckus,” said Morgana.

“Then, we’ll have to chance the escape tunnels. Royal bedrooms are usually at the back of the castle and that’s likely to be where the escape tunnels are.” Arthur poked his head around the wall. The courtyard was strangely empty aside from two distracted guards. Smoke billowed from various places in the main town. “The castle is damaged which means we should be able to get in fairly easily.”

Slowly, they made their way into the main town, darting behind smoldering buildings. Whoever had attacked Othanden was clearly determined to wipe the whole town out. As quietly as possible, they killed any guards they encountered. Arthur saw Mordred kill a guard and the horror that crossed his face.

“Don’t think about it.” Arthur grabbed Mordred’s wrist. “Keep moving.”

Once again, they took cover, this time behind a house, as they watched the guards on the castle’s door. Pausing just long enough to catch their breath, Arthur examined their options.

“We should wait for nightfall,” suggested Percy. “It won’t be long and we can hide in this house.”

Arthur watched the guards for a while then nodded. “I agree. It’ll be easier to enter in darkness. Let’s get into the house.”

* * *

Half the house had fallen in and debris and rubble covered the ground. What furniture had been in the house was little more than dirt and rocks. As far as possible, the group made themselves comfortable, all very aware that they needed to be rested. Now that they had no guards to distract them, tension settled in the group. Elena and Percy sat away from them and Arthur noticed that they kept looking Lancelot.

Gwen didn’t take ‘victims’ so what was Lancelot to them? His thoughts went back to how Lancelot had spoke up against taking revenge on Gwen. But Gwaine had mentioned that Lancelot came to Camelot with his wife. Involuntarily, Arthur studied Lancelot. He sat slightly apart from Mordred and Morgana, examining his sword.

“Who do you think is behind this?” Morgana asked, interrupting his thoughts. “It can’t be Essetir alone, causing such damage. Our spies say they’ve barely rebuilt since the last war.”

“I’ve no idea who they could have joined forces with. Perhaps the druids.”

“The druids are by and large, peaceful people,” said Morgana.

“Gwen says Killy says someone stole the crystal from the Island of the Blessed.” Arthur looked up in surprise as Elena spoke. “Apparently it’s a crystal that’s the source of all magic.”

“Kilgarrah would know,” said Lancelot.

Arthur couldn’t help himself. “And how do you know about Kilgarrah?”

“I was captured by them before. I had the honour of meeting him.”

Liar, thought Arthur although he refrained from saying it out loud. It wasn’t the time or the place. At the very least, he didn’t think Lancelot meant Gwen harm, which was all that mattered right now.

The group sat in silence as they waited for the sun to set. Mordred shifted bit by bit until he was next to Arthur.

“You alright?” Arthur asked.

Mordred nodded, then reached up to whisper into Arthur’s ear. “Will Gwen be alright?”

“She will be. She’s a survivor.”

Chewing his lip, Mordred nodded again and then, like everyone else, he sank into silence.

* * *

“Around the back. Keep close to me.” Arthur said in a hushed voice, tilted his head, then walked ahead out of the house.

As they made their way around the castle, they could see that parts of the castle had been damaged by whatever fighting had taken place earlier but none of the damage was severe enough for them to enter. Carefully, they continued until they finally found a section where a hole had been blown though the castle. Two guards stood in front of the gaping hole.

“Morgana?” Arthur glanced at her. “Some distraction would be good.”

She nodded, muttered something under her breath, then the castle wall began to crumble. The guards looked up just as they rest of them leapt out from where they were hidden and easily dealt with the guards.

“Come on,” said Arthur.

They were finally in the castle and that much closer to Gwen. Focus on what needs to be done, Arthur told himself.

“This way to the dungeons. Hurry.” Arthur darted into the castle, keeping close to the walls and making his way down the corridors. The castle was strangely empty, as if whoever had taken over it was far too confident that no one would be able to make it inside. As carefully as they walked, their footsteps echoed in the vast corridors, yet there was no response, which made Arthur nervous. They were either very lucky or about to walk straight into a trap.

“I can feel the magic here,” whispered Morgana. “It’s strong.”

Then, as they turned a corner, they saw a strange blue light seeping into the corridors. Signaling the others to remain where they were, Arthur made his way towards the light. The light leaked out of a closed room. It must be the crystal Elena mentioned. Which meant whoever stole the crystal was there as well and considering the lack of guards on the door, they must be pretty powerful.

Othanden Castle was not much different from Camelot’s and Arthur easily found the steps leading down to the dungeons.

“Elena, Percy and Morgana, you three stay here and keep watch. Lancelot and Mordred. Come with me. Gwen should be down here.”

* * *

“It’s a common trick. They won’t fall for it.”

Gwen glanced back at Merlin. “You’re forgetting that they think I’m a princess. And what harm would it do to try?”

“A lot, I imagine,” said Merlin even as he stood. “They won’t take our attempt to escape kindly.”

“I’m not about to sit here and let them decide my fate. And neither should you.”

Merlin touched her face gently. “I’ll always have your back. Let’s do it.”

“Right.” Gwen moved to the corner, where the door would hide her when it opened. Merlin was right, it was a played out plan but at the moment, Gwen didn’t have a better idea. She’d observed the guards over the past two days and realized that when a shift change happened, one guard tended to leave first, leaving the other to wait for the next two guards.

For a few minutes, there was only going to be one guard and they needed to attempt their escape now.

“Hey!” yelled Merlin through the small hole in the door. “Hey!”

There was some grumbling and the sound of things moving. “What do you want? You’ll keep quiet and behave yourselves.”

“The princess is sick. Must be that terrible swill you gave us earlier.”

The voice was closer now. “Sick? Do you think I’m a fool?”

“You’ll be a fool if you let the princess die and your master loses her power over the king of Camelot.”

Still holding her breath, Gwen silently applauded Merlin as she heard the locks move. The door swung open slowly and Gwen heard the crunch of hay under the guard’s boots.

“Where is she?” The slide of metal told Gwen that the guard was now armed. She readied herself.

“Curled up behind the door,” said Merlin.

The door swung back and Gwen jumped into action, twisting the guard’s arm so that he dropped the sword and kicking him between the legs. The guard bent double allowing Merlin to swing his the chains of his cuffs over his head and around his neck. A quick yank sent the guard tumbling to the ground. Gwen grabbed the sword then hesitated.

“Do it,” said Merlin.

She plunged the sword into the guard. The moment she was sure the guard was dead, she searched his body, sure that he would have another weapon hidden on him. Pulling out a dagger, she passed it to Merlin. “Let’s go.”

They crept along the twisting corridors of the dungeon, aware that the other two guards would be on their way towards him. Their breaths were loud in the cold emptiness of the dungeons and the lack of prisoners suggested that they killed whoever they captured. Even in his absence, Arthur had saved her.

Merlin raised his hand and Gwen stopped. In the distance, she could hear footsteps and she tightened her hold on the sword as her heart started to race.

“You take the one on the left,” she whispered.

The footsteps got louder and Gwen prepared herself.


	16. Chapter 16

A young man in one of the taverns she'd visited some time ago had told her of wanting things so much that sometimes, often in times of stress or exhaustion, these desires would manifest in front him. Gwen had laughed then, disbelieving him, but now as she saw both Arthur and Lancelot standing in front of her, she wondered if had judged the young man too quickly.

She blinked, then looked from Arthur to Lancelot. The stress of her capture must have caused her to start dreaming because there was no logical reason for the two of them to be standing there. Not together. And not in Othanden.

Arthur, maybe. She’d dreamt of him often and she wouldn’t put it past her mind to conjure him up. But Lancelot? Gwen hadn’t thought of him in what seemed like ages, certainly not since Arthur entered her life.

"Gwen? You’re alright." Lancelot took a step towards her, then suddenly he was hugging her, squeezing her far too hard. Too shocked to do anything, she simply stood there, the sword still in her hand. Over his shoulder, her eyes met Arthur's. Without a word, Arthur turned his head away, but not before she saw the flash of hurt in them.

"You're cuffed," she heard him say to Merlin.

"Magic cuffs," said Merlin. "I can't use magic."

Gwen untangled herself from Lancelot and quickly took a step back, putting some distance between her and Lancelot. She needed space – to breathe, to think. When she spoke, her voice was accusing. "Why are you here? Why are you two here?"

"This is a nice reunion and all, but we have to get out of here," said Merlin.

"Yes,” said Arthur curtly. “Elena and Percy would be glad to see you two are fine. Follow me."

Arthur turned and walked in front briskly, tension pulsing from him. Gwen pushed down the disappointment that filled her when he didn't even bother to look at her. Yet, walking behind him, she drank him in – the gait of his walk, the curl of his hair at the nape of his neck, the line of his shoulders. For so long, she had been convinced that she would never see him again and now, she could almost reach out a hand and touch him again. And she wanted to, just to check if he was real, even if he was acting like an ass.

Beside her, Lancelot walked, far too close for her liking, as they silently made their way through the dungeon. She stepped over the bodies of two guards before they reached the steps leading up to the main castle.

“Up here,” said Arthur.

He didn’t even spare her a glance.

Elena, Percy and Mordred were waiting for her up there. Without a word, Elena gathered her in a hug as Percy patted her slightly awkwardly on the back. She cast a smile at Mordred as her eyes took in the unfamiliar tall, dark-haired woman who stood quietly to the side.

Finally, Arthur spoke directly to her. “Gwen, Merlin, this is Morgana.”

And suddenly, Gwen understood how Arthur felt as a bolt of jealousy shot through her. Still, she was better brought up than Arthur and she smiled at Morgana whose returning smile seemed somewhat insincere. Gwen looked away, her mind churning with possibilities – maybe she was a princess Arthur was going to marry, maybe a lover no different from what Gwen was to him.

She sucked in a breath as an arrow of pain shot through her – now was not the time to indulge in herself.

"We need to move quickly. There's no way we've remained undetected for so long," said Elena.

Arthur nodded. "Percy and I will lead the front. Lancelot, you stay at the back with Elena."

It was slightly surprising how quickly and easily Elena agreed to Arthur's commands. What had transpired before they came here? Why were they here in the first place? Too little time had passed for Elena or Percy to have found Arthur and asked for help. And more intriguingly, why was Lancelot here too?

The castle was quiet, eerily so. Her hand wrapped tightly around the sword, Gwen kept close to Merlin, worried that still shackled, he was vulnerable. For a while, they managed to make easy progress through the empty corridors. Lit torches flickered from the walls, casting shadows that played tricks on them, making them even more cautious.

They turned a corner and Arthur stopped so suddenly that Gwen almost slammed into him. Instead she reached out to steady herself and touched his back. Immediately, he tensed, his muscles moving under her hand. Images of them in bed flashed in her mind. She dropped her hand and sucked in a breath.

In front, unnatural blue light spilled from a room accompanied by murmurs. No guards stood at the door but Gwen suspected that whoever was in the room didn’t need to protection of some flesh and blood guards. With a quick gesture, Arthur instructed them to reverse their steps.

When they were some distance from the room, Arthur spoke. “The door was closed when we came. We have two choices – find another route out of the castle or chance a battle we might not be able to win.”

“It’s magic,” said Morgana. “I can feel it.”

Beside her, Merlin started. “You can feel magic?”

“She has magic,” Mordred piped up. “Like you. She says I have magic too.”

“You?” Gwen looked at Mordred. He didn’t look much different, still the young boy who was managed to both be a big pain yet a big part of her family on Excalibur.

Mordred gave his usual shrug. “I don’t know.”

“Look, that’s not important. Merlin can’t use his magic and Mordred doesn’t know how to use his. Morgana is not going to be strong enough to take them on alone.” Arthur huffed.

“We have no choice but to find an alternative route then,” said Lancelot.

Gwen saw Arthur shoot Lancelot an indecipherable look before nodding. They retraced their steps slowly, relieved that the corridors were still as empty as before. Once again, they stood at the stairs to the dungeons.

“The main door,” said Elena. “We entered from a hole blown into the castle. The other exit would be the main entrance.”

“It is guarded for sure and we don’t know by man or magic,” said Arthur. He ran a hand through his hair, his face taut with stress. “But it may be our only chance. Let’s go.”

It didn’t take them very long to get to the main entrance. The doors had not withstood the attacks and the entrance was a gaping hole. They hovered a distance away, aware that it was heavily guarded.

“Magic?” Arthur asked.

Both Merlin and Morgana nodded. “A lot. But not as much as from that room.”

“They have us trapped,” said Gwen as she tried to stem the panic that was rising in her. She looked at Arthur whose gaze was on the entrance, probably trying to work out a plan of escape. It was one thing for her to die, she was just a pirate captain – her death would be celebrated by many, she supposed. But Arthur, he was Prince of Camelot.

“Morgana, you have to deal with any magical foes. Percy and Elena, you support her. Even magic users get hurt. I want Gwen to stay with Mordred and Merlin, keep them from harm as much as you can. Lancelot and I will lead. Listen to my instructions. If I say run, we run. Understand?”

There were murmurs of agreement. Gwen had seen so many sides of Arthur those weeks they’d spent together but seeing him like this, taking command, apparently winning over even Elena and Percy, gave her a new insight into him.

Arthur turned to Gwen, interrupting her thoughts. “Whatever happens, you are to escape. Do you understand?”

“No.”

His hands gripped her shoulders painfully. “Promise me.”

“You’re being ridiculous. We’re in this together and I am not leaving you behind.”

“You’ve always been a fool,” Arthur breathed harshly.

Before Gwen could answer, Merlin yelled. And suddenly, without warning, they were plunged into battle.

Shoving Mordred and Merlin behind her, Gwen focused on the nearest attacker – a woman, taller and larger than her. Even before she could think, the woman brought her sword down on Gwen. The blow caught her on her thigh and Gwen jumped back, just as Mordred lunged forward with his sword, slicing the woman’s arm. She hissed, turning her attention to Mordred.

"Watch out!" Merlin pulled Mordred away, allowing Gwen to take on the woman. She was hard hitting but Gwen was faster.

It was an exercise in perseverance. Her thigh throbbed and Merlin was distracted by another guard. Magic flew over their heads, between them as Morgana battled others. She could hear the yells and grunts of battle. Even as her sword finally fell the woman, another threat loomed in front of her. But before she could regroup and lift her sword again, the guard fell on her, slain by a flustered Mordred whose sword trembled in his hand.

"Are you alright?" Pushing the guard's body off her, she reached for Mordred. "You did well."

He sagged briefly in her arms, until she had to push him away to deal with yet another incoming guard. Her thigh throbbed, blood seeping through her pants, and her arms ached. She'd been in battles before but never one of such intensity. And never one without Merlin's magic in support.

There was a yell from Arthur and instinctively, Gwen turned around only to see him fall to his knees, clutching his side.

"Arthur!"

A guard swooped down on her and she turned, plunging her sword into his chest without thinking, then rushing to where Arthur was, one hand on his side, the other fending off the guard fighting him. She swung her sword blindly at the guard then knelt next to Arthur.

"I'm fine," he snapped. "You should -"

But Arthur couldn't finished his sentence before a blinding white light filled the corridor.

"I can't move," said Percy.

From the other side, Lancelot said with some panic, "Neither can I."

This was it, Gwen thought as she tried to move against the force holding her still, this was the end of everything. She looked at Arthur. She should take comfort in the fact that Arthur was with her.

"Not bad." Looking up, Gwen saw the woman who’d threatened her earlier come into view, flanked by the surviving guards. A cruel smile played upon her lips and she glanced coolly at Gwen. "I admit, I thought it would take Camelot longer to arrive."

"What do you want?" Arthur asked coldly.

The woman took her time looking at all of them, her cool gaze sweeping over them. Then she focused on Arthur and Gwen wondered if she recognized him.

“Are you the leader of this motley group? I admit, I expected a bigger army from Camelot or is the king punishing his ward for her dalliance with magic?” She unsheathed her sword and pressed it against Arthur’s bleeding side, eliciting a gasp from him.

“What do you want from us?”

“I want to get past Camelot’s defenses. Is that something you can do for me? Because if it’s not, I’ll kill you one by one, starting with you.” With a sharp jerk and a muttered spell, the woman yanked Arthur to his feet.

A mix of fear and worry rose in her and Gwen tried to move towards Arthur, fighting against the invisible bonds that held her fast. Sweat beaded across his forehead and his jaw was clenched. His hand was still at his side but the bleeding could no longer be stemmed and blood stained his nails.

“No!” Without warning, there was what sounded like a loud clap of thunder, then an explosion shook the castle and chaos erupted.

Percy yelled. “The spell is broken! Run!”

Realising she could move, Gwen lurched to her feet, ignoring the stabbing pain in her thigh. Where was Arthur? She squinted through the smoke and moved towards where she thought he was. “Arthur?”

“Gwen,” he gasped.

“Here, lean on me.” Gwen grabbed him by the waist and he looped an arm across her shoulders, his weight heavy against her. “Let’s go. We’re going to be fine,” she murmured as they slowly made their way towards the entrance.

The moment they stepped outside, Percy walked up to her. “I’ll take him.”

A quick look around told Gwen that everyone managed to escape. At Gwen’s commands, they scurried to a safe distance and watched as the castle collapsed into a pile of rubble. Breathing heavily, Gwen closed her eyes. They’d made it. It was sheer luck but they made it.

“What did you do?” Merlin asked. Gwen opened her eyes to see that Merlin was shaking Mordred. “What did you do?”

“Leave him alone,” said Morgana. “Can’t you see he’s shaken up enough?”

“That magic was powerful!”

Gwen stepped between the three of them. “We need to get out of here quickly. This is not the time.”

* * *

Gwen thought that she could not have felt more distressed but when they approached the Excalibur and she saw that the ship still hadn’t been repaired, what was left of her heart completely shattered. A hand on her chest, she simply stood and stared at her ship – the ship her father had left her, the only home she knew.

Someone took her hand and when she looked up, she saw it was Lancelot.

“We have no time to repair her. Arthur’s ship is nearby. We need to leave now.”

Gwen pulled her hand away, her eyes darting to where Arthur slumped against Percy. As loathe as she was to leave Excalibur here, she knew Lancelot was right. They needed to get as far away from here as possible. If whoever that woman was attacked again, there was no guarantee they would be able to escape again.

“Lead us to his ship,” Gwen said quietly, unable to meet Lancelot’s eyes again.

In silence, the eight of them trudged towards Arthur’s ship. It was only when they were all on the ship that Gwen felt some of the tension ease from her. She set Elena and a still stunned Mordred to ready the ship for sailing, then she walked to the bunks where Percy had put Arthur.

“Gwen,” said Lancelot, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged off his hand and shook her head. “I need to see to Arthur.”

“Morgana is with him. You are hurt as well.” His hand closed around her wrist and her first instinct was to shake him off. “Let me look at it. You’d be of no use to Arthur if you’re injured.”

Reluctantly, she sat down, letting Lancelot roll her pants up and examine her wound. Tearing off a piece of his shirt, he wrapped it around her wound, his fingers brushing up against her thigh. Just a year ago, Gwen would have been thrilled to be in this position, with Lance in front of her, taking care of her. But now, she just wanted him to be done quickly so she could check on Arthur. She looked up and watched as a burning Othanden grew smaller and smaller, taking with it, her beloved Excalibur.

Blinking back hot tears, Gwen closed her eyes, tilted her head back and leaned against the railings.

* * *

“This might sting,” Morgana said. Next to her Merlin hovered, suspicion etched on his face but Arthur couldn’t summon the energy to wonder why.

“Gwen,” he croaked and struggled to open his eyes. He was pretty sure he’d seen her hurt in the fight. “Where is she?”

“Lancelot is tending to her. Now you keep still while I heal you.”

Words meant to reassure did the exact opposite. As Morgana moved her hands over his wound, Arthur's thoughts turned to Lancelot, more specifically, Lancelot and Gwen. Arthur wasn’t blind. He had seen the shock in Gwen’s eyes, the way Lancelot had hugged her, as if he’d hugged her this way many times, as if the relationship he had with Gwen was one that included such physical touching.

Warmth flowed through him and he looked up at Morgana, who was frowning down at him. “This is the best I can do. You should live.”

“Thank you.”

Merlin pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on. “Not bad,” he muttered. “Healing is tricky business.”

Morgana pressed her lips together, a clear sign that she was unhappy. “Do you want help with your shackles or not?”

“We shouldn’t do it here. I’ve had issues with blowing holes through bunks.” Merlin cast an indescribable look at Arthur. “Thank you for coming for us.”

“No problem.” Arthur tried to smile, even as he struggled to contain all the questions he had.

“Get some rest, Arthur.” It was more an order than a request. Typical Morgana. “Let’s go.”

Once the two of them left the room, Arthur closed his eyes, trying not to think about Gwen or Lancelot or the mess that this whole situation was.

* * *

When he opened his eyes and saw Gwen seated, fast asleep, on the stool next to his bed, Arthur was convinced it was another of his dreams. Then the sharp pain in his side told him otherwise. Turning his head, Arthur stared at Gwen in the fading light. He’d missed her so much and now, she was within touching distance. Her head drooped on her shoulder, in a position that would most likely result in a bad ache when morning arrived. He indulged himself, letting his eyes roam across her, taking in every part of her that he’d missed so desperately. She’d lost weight, her cheekbones more apparent in her face, and she looked tired. Not surprising after what she’d been through. His eyes drifted to her legs and the bandage that was wrapped around the right one.

Had Lancelot cleaned her wound and tied the bandage around her thigh? The thought of Lancelot touching her and caring for her immediately put Arthur in a bad mood and in annoyance, he turned away.

“Arthur?”

For one petulant moment, Arthur wanted to pretend that he was asleep. He heard her move and then felt a light touch on his shoulder.

“I know you’re awake.”

He turned back, pushing himself up so that he was sitting. “Gwen.”

Her name came out more harshly than he’d wanted and her wince sent a shot of guilt through him.

“How are you feeling?” She still hovered next to the bed. “Merlin told me that Morgana healed your wound.”

His eyes darted to her bandage. Once again, images of Lancelot tending to her plagued his mind. “You should have asked her to heal yours.”

“She took a look at it but it’s just a flesh wound. Nothing serious and Merlin is always wary about magic being done on people.” Pulling the stool closer to the bed, Gwen sat back down, a soft sigh escaping her.

“Is your wound still hurting?”

“Just a little sore. Nothing as serious as yours.”

Arthur shifted slightly, then nodded. He looked at Gwen, with her warm brown eyes brimming with emotions he couldn’t quite work out, and despite all the questions in his head, he couldn’t think of a thing to say. He wanted to know who Lancelot was to her, he wanted to know how she’d been in the months they hadn’t seen each other and he wanted to know if she knew anything of what was happening in Ismere and Othanden.

“Thank you,” she finally said quietly, breaking the tense silence that had descended on them. “Thank you for the rescue.”

He shrugged, and it pulled at his wound. “We were at the right place at the right time. This wasn’t a quest to come to your rescue. I only did it because Lancelot wouldn’t shut up about it.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the moment he saw Gwen flinch at them, he wished he could take them all back. What had he been thinking? He wasn’t, reacting only to the stomach curling jealousy that he’d felt whenever he thought of Lancelot and Gwen together.

“Well, you shouldn’t have bothered.” Her tone was brittle and she stood, turning away from him. “We could have rescued ourselves eventually.”

Angry at her coldness, he let his jealousy take over, scoffing at her. “Really? With Merlin magicless?”

On the way to the door, she stopped, her spine straight and stiff. “I am a feared pirate captain. I can look after myself.”

“You were glad to see Lancelot.”

She swung back to face him, her eyes flashing with emotions. “Is this what this is about? Lancelot?”

“Who is he? An old lover? A current lover?” With some effort, he pushed himself off his bed and walked towards her, the anger surging through him providing enough shield for the pain in his side.

“What?” She jabbed his chest. “A current lover? Have you taken leave of your senses? How would that timeline even work?”

He grabbed her hand, wrapping his fingers tightly around hers, both wanting to hurt her the way thoughts of her and Lancelot hurt him and relishing the feel of her skin under his. “An old lover then? One you’ve not gotten over. After this visit, were you going to jump into his bed?”

Yanking her hand from his, Gwen shook her head as she let out a bitter laugh. “Maybe I am. Maybe I want to be with someone who –“

“Who what?” Ignoring the twinge in his side, Arthur reached out an arm and, slipping it around her waist, pulled her towards him. Her gasp tickled his throat and he looked down at her. “Who makes you feel like this?”

And he kissed her.

It was angry. It was rough. It was like coming home.

* * *

Gwen’s blood was pounding with outrage at Arthur’s callous words, at his insinuations. To think that just moments ago, she’d been almost bursting with affection for him, filled with worry over his injury. Now, she couldn’t care less if he jumped overboard.

_Liar. You’d jump in after him._

And then she was in his arms, his mouth over hers and his arms around her. Wrenching her mouth from his, she glared up at him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

A nerve in his jaw throbbed. Then he dropped his arms from her, took a step back and sucked in a breath. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. “I’m sorry. I – you should go.”

The vulnerability that flashed across his face before he looked away was enough to soften the edge of her anger. She remembered how often he’d use anger to hide his other feelings. He was doing the same now. Tentatively, she touched his cheek. Under her touch, she felt him tense before he leaned into her.

“I missed you.” His low, rough voice sent shivers down her spine.

She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, then moved closer to him. “I missed you too.”

A finger traced her lips and his eyes softened. Slowly, far too slowly for Gwen, he dipped his head and brushed his lips across hers. Her hand flattened against his bare chest, as she angled her head for another kiss. Arthur obliged immediately, kissing her deeply, his tongue sweeping against hers. One hand spanned her waist, the other threaded into her hair, keeping her pressed against him. As Gwen felt the threatening sting of tears, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to him.

“Come to bed with me.”

Giving him a watery smile, she sniffed. “You’re hurt.”

“Not that hurt,” he breathed against her throat. “I need you with me. Close.”

Untangling herself from him, Gwen took his hand and led him back to the bed. She sank into the less than comfortable bed, then tugged him gently until he slipped into the bed beside her. For long minutes, they lay side by side, kissing and exploring each other. Arthur unbuttoned her shirt, pressing a kiss on her bare skin after every button he released. Sighing, Gwen dug her fingers in his hair.

Soon, Arthur divested her of all her clothes. Propped on one elbow, Arthur looked down at her and Gwen thought she could feel every inch of his gaze. With one finger, he drew patterns on her skin, his touch only heating her up even more, making her squirm against him, wanting more than what he was giving her. How long had it been since she had been able to touch him like that? How many weeks had she dreamt of this?

“You still have more clothes on,” she whispered against his chest.

With a laugh, Arthur pulled away from her, causing her to grumble lightly. As quickly as he could, with his wound, he shed his trousers, then reached for her again. The humour in his eyes faded and he looked seriously at her, pulling her so close to him that almost every part of her was touching him and evidence of his arousal pressed into her thigh. “Gwen. My darling Gwen. Have I told you how much I missed you?”

She smiled, then ran her hands down, cupping him, loving the way he twitched in her palm. “You may have.”

“I’m injured,” said Arthur suddenly.

“Am I hurting you?” Gwen tried to move from Arthur but his hold on her was firm. “We shouldn’t be –“

He nuzzled the dip between her breasts. “I’m injured so you need to be on top.”

"Ah." As she straddled him, feeling his length rubbing between her legs, his hands moving along her sides from her hips to her breasts, the desire that had been smoldering in her, burst into flames.

“Gwen,” Arthur groaned. “Please.”

She wriggled some more, her laugh fading into a moan when Arthur pinched her nipples and lifted his hips up to slide against her damp folds.

“I want you. Now.”

Positioning herself, she sank down on him, sighing as he filled her. “Arthur.”

He blinked, and Gwen was pretty sure that it was love she saw in his eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

Arthur's snores tickled her ear and Gwen propped herself up on one elbow to look down at him. In sleep, he always looked younger, less burdened by whatever it was that weighed on his shoulders. Gwen wasn't a fool, she knew that being crown prince wasn't a picnic in the park and she knew that this moment she had with him again wasn't going to last. Her heart clenched at the thought. She'd lost Excalibur and now she was about to lose Arthur as well.

With a sigh, she kissed Arthur's forehead, pushing his hair away. Gently, she checked on his wound – it looked like it was healing well. Perhaps this Morgana could teach Merlin a thing or two about healing. Under her hands, Arthur moved slightly, murmured her name before settling back into sleep. Taking one last look at Arthur, she slipped off the bed, dressed and went to the deck. As much as she wanted to curl up in Arthur's arms, she had to work out what she was going to do now.

It was with a burst of relief when Gwen noted that Lancelot wasn't on the deck. While she was curious about his presence, a conversation with him, bringing up old hurts and wounds, wasn't something she wanted to deal with at this moment.

"Gwen!" Elena was the first to spot her. Before Gwen could react, arms wrapped tightly around her. "I was worried but then I figured you were with Arthur. How is he? Merlin said Morgana healed his wound."

Untangling herself from Elena's hug, Gwen smiled. "He's fine. Sadly for you, he's going to live."

"Morgana has powerful magic," said Merlin quietly as he joined them with Percy.

Gwen looked at her friends and her heart lifted. Perhaps she might have lost Excalibur but she still had them, a little worse for wear but still intact and with her.

"There's some delicious irony in the fact that Uther Pendragon, hater of all things magic, has a ward who has magic." Elena smirked, crossing her arms. "This should give us some bargaining power. Perhaps if we keep Morgana's secret, he'll leave us alone."

Merlin slanted a look at Elena and shook his head. "You're assuming that Uther knows that Morgana has magic and has been shielding her. I've been given to understand that's not true."

"You and Morgana have been talking a lot," said Elena.

Rolling his eyes at Elena, Merlin continued. "I think it's undeniable that Essetir is behind the attacks."

That finally got a reaction from Percy. "Essetir? They were almost completely defeated by Camelot not that long ago. How did they get this powerful?"

"So all the rumours are true. They are using magic."

Merlin nodded at Gwen. "Yes. And Morgana and I are convinced that they have outside help. There is no way Cenred knows how to get to the Isle of the Blessed, much less wield the power of the stone."

"Great. Tell Morgana to tell Arthur this and we can go on our merry way. We're not getting involved in this." Elena looked from Merlin to Gwen. "Merlin, you blew a bloody hole in your bunk because you didn't want to get involved, which of course led to all this, not that I'm blaming you. Not completely."

Gwen sighed. "We don't actually have a ship to go on our merry way on."

"We can just take this one," said Elena. "We are pirates. Oh. Well, think about it. Let's go check out the rest of the ship." One hand grabbing Percy and shooting Merlin a look, Elena started to walk away.

"Wait –" Looking up, Gwen found herself looking at Lancelot. When she looked back, her so-called friends had moved to another part of the deck, leaving her alone with an approaching Lancelot.

"Gwen."

He looked like he did when he left her but his handsome features no longer moved her the way they used to. She smiled at him, her mind filling with questions she wanted answers to.

"Thank you for the rescue. Arthur says you convinced him to."

Lancelot took another step towards her. "I am glad you are safe. And honestly, Arthur didn't take much convincing to rescue you. You were inside his room for a long time."

Gwen felt heat rush to her cheeks and she was glad her skin colour meant her blush would be hidden from Lancelot. "He was injured trying to rescue me. Why are you here, Lancelot? When did you become a knight of Camelot?"

At least, he had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "Elaine wasn't happy in Corbenic – it was too small – and so we decided to move."

And even though Gwen no longer felt the same way for Lancelot, hearing Elaine's name was enough to bring back bad memories of his departure. She swallowed the bitterness and forced a smile on her face. "I hope you are happy in Camelot."

"Gwen, I'm sorry about how things ended with us and –" Lancelot paused, then tentatively took her hand. "- I still care about you."

Immediately Gwen took a step back, pulling her hand away. "You have to stop touching me like that Lancelot. We're not together anymore. You have Elaine. But I accept your apology and I hope that you and Elaine find happiness."

"You know that Arthur has a betrothed back in Camelot, don't you?"

"A betrothed?" A chill entered her heart. If Gwen had any fantasies about being with Arthur, Lancelot's cool words quickly quashed them all. All this time, Arthur had someone waiting for him in Camelot. That love she thought she saw in his eyes, she had clearly been fooling herself. "What does that have to do with me?"

With a slight smile, Lancelot inclined his head. "I just thought you should know. Just in case."

Still reeling from the revelation, Gwen changed the subject. "Do you know what Arthur plans to do next?"

"We're going to meet up with another Camelot ship. We should cross paths in a day or two. They were sent to raise the alarm on the attacks."

"And me and my crew?"

Lancelot sighed. "I believe you are to be captured for revenge."

She knew Arthur would never allow her to be hurt, but even that knowledge didn't stop her already hurting heart from feeling even more battered. "Wonderful," she whispered. "I guess my crew and I have to decide on an escape plan."

Without waiting for a reply from Lancelot, Gwen walked over to where her friends stood. Elena was the first to step forward. "What's wrong?"

"Arthur has a betrothed." It wasn't what she wanted to say but the words escaped her mouth anyway.

"Bastard."

Suddenly, the tears Gwen had been holding back threatened to spill. Squeezing her eyes shut, she turned away from the concerned looks Elena and the rest were giving her. "We need to decide what to do. This ship is going back to Camelot and we can't go with them. Wait, where is Mordred?"

"Working with Morgana, somewhere. Apparently she'd been training him to use his magic."

The thought that Mordred might not want to come with them was like another arrow in her heart. "Right. Good for him. We either need to get Arthur to stop us at a convenient port or we have to leave this ship on our own."

"Alright," said Elena. "You talk to Arthur and we'll be ready to leave." She put a hand on Gwen's arm. "We may not have Excalibur, but we still have each other. Also, think about stealing this ship. It's a good ship."

That made Gwen laugh, even as her heart still ached.

* * *

"Gwen?" Arthur opened his eyes and struggled into a sitting position. Why was she sitting in the chair across the room and not in the bed next to him?

"Sorry to disappoint you. It's Morgana. So, Gwen is the one you fell in love with on the Excalibur? I like her."

His side still throbbed and he rubbed his head. "Where is she?"

"Probably on the deck." Morgana made no move to leave, simply crossed her legs and continued to look at him from the corner of his bunk.

"You're being creepy."

"I suspect that wouldn't be your response if I were Gwen."

"What do you want Morgana? There must be a good reason that you're sitting there being all creepy."

Finally she stood, unfolding herself and walking to his bed side. "I spoke to Merlin – powerful wizard that one is - and I think we pieced together what is happening."

"What is happening?" Arthur shifted so he was sitting more comfortably.

"As Elena said, someone did steal the stone from the Isle of the Blessed but Cenred is not capable of it. So it has to be someone else. Cenred is a short-sighted fool who is desperate for power and revenge and he's thrown his lot in with someone who is most likely going to betray him for his or her own wants."

"Cenred's desire is always to destroy Camelot. Which means, this mysterious person probably wants Camelot destroyed as well." Arthur ran through the enemies Camelot had in his mind. There had been many over the years, but none he could think of who could wield so much magic.

"Merlin thinks they want to restore the Old Religion to Albion."

Arthur focused his attention back on Morgana. "They want to restore the Old Religion? Not just magic?"

"Merlin is convinced. Did you know he has a pet dragon?"

"I have seen it."

Morgana looked surprised. "Seems like this pet dragon of his knows a lot. I think Merlin is going to consult him."

"Good idea."

"You should rest. I think we're on the cusp of a huge war," said Morgana. "I just hope we're on the right side. Oh and Lancelot says that we should be crossing paths with Gwaine in a day or two, assuming Gwaine followed your directions."

"Right. Thank you, Morgana." The name Lancelot was enough to dampen his mood.

She smiled slightly. "Shall I get Gwen to come down?"

"No. I'll be up on the deck in a while."

"I'll get some food prepared for you then."

Arthur chuckled. "You? Prepare food?"

"I'll ask someone to!" Then she smiled down at him. "I'm glad you're alive, Arthur."

* * *

The sun had disappeared by the time Arthur climbed the steps up to the deck. Looking up, he wondered if a storm was approaching. From a distance, he could see Elena and Percy working in tandem on the riggings. The three magic users were huddled in a corner and Gwen stood on her own, leaning on the side of the ship. Then he noticed Lancelot.

"My lord."

"Lancelot. Glad to see you're alright."

"You too, my lord. If you don't mind me asking, what are you planning to do with the pirates? Bring them back to Camelot for their punishment?"

Arthur looked at Lancelot, trying hard to appear as if he didn't care. He still wasn't completely sure about what the history was between Lancelot and Gwen but Arthur knew he didn't like it. "That is one option."

With a curt nod, Arthur walked away, uncaring that Lancelot was about to see him with Gwen. Just as he approached Gwen, she turned around and he knew there and then that something had gone wrong in the few hours they had been apart. Worried, he reached for her. Gwen didn't pull away, but the wariness written on her face didn't disappear either. Tugging at her arm, he drew her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"Why didn't you tell me you are betrothed to someone in Camelot?" She looked up at him and he saw clearly the hurt that lurked in the depths of her eyes. Hurt that he desperately wanted to remove. "Is it true?"

"Yes. She's a princess from another kingdom." In his arms, he felt her shudder then stiffen. When she tried to move away, he tightened his hold. "But I'm going to end it when we get back."

"End it?"

"Come back to Camelot with me." Arthur had no plan, no idea how he would even make it work but he knew that he wasn't going to lose Gwen again. "Excalibur is lost and you have nowhere to go. Come with me."

This time she pulled away with enough force to escape his hold. "And then what? Get executed by your father?"

Arthur scowled at her, annoyed at her refusal to even consider going to Camelot with him. "I won't let my father kill you."

"And what about Merlin or Percy or Elena or even Mordred? Are you going to protect them all?"

"Of course," he snapped. "It's not like you have a lot of choices."

There was a familiar look in her eyes, the same one she got whenever she was angry with him. It only served to increase his own annoyance. He was offering to break off his engagement and bring her back to Camelot but she didn't seem to even be considering it.

"I want this ship."

Her words took him by surprise. "This ship?"

She lifted her chin. "This ship. I need a ship and you have more than you need."

"That's what you want?" Arthur took a step towards her. "This ship?"

"Yes."

"You're being ridiculous."

Gwen glared back at him. "And you're not? For all I know, you're trying to get me back to Camelot so you can have your revenge. Lancelot said –"

"Lancelot." Bitterness rose in Arthur. "And you believe him? You actually think I am going to bring your back to get killed? What kind of person do you think I am?"

Without warning, the ship lurched under his feet. Instinctively, he grabbed onto Gwen, holding her steady. Looking up, he saw Kilgarrah arrive. The dragon was still as majestic as he remembered.

"Gwen. Arthur." His wide wings beating, sending strong winds into the ship, making it tilt. "I believe Merlin wanted to talk to me."

"Do you know what is happening in Albion?" Letting go of Gwen, Arthur moved towards the side of the ship, closer to Kilgarrah.

"I have an idea. Ah Merlin. And the witch of Camelot."

If a dragon could smile, Arthur supposed that would be it, although it looked a lot more like bared teeth and pulled back skin. Not the most attractive sight.

"Morgana, this is Kilgarrah." Merlin pushed Morgana forward, most unceremoniously.

Arthur watched with growing amusement as Morgana attempted to hide her amazement at the dragon. Clasping her arms behind her back, she bowed a little. "Merlin talked a lot about you."

"As he should. He owes a lot to me. And yet when I give him advice, he doesn't listen."

Beside him, Arthur saw Merlin roll his eyes. "We need to know what is going on. Do you know who took the stone?"

"Young warlock, are you planning to deal with this?" His wings sent the ship lurching again.

"Merlin," said Gwen warningly. He wasn't surprised. They were a bunch of pirates, loyal to no-one. There was no reason for them to get involved in the looming war.

"I don't know. But Morgana –"

Morgana interrupted Merlin coolly. "As the ward of Uther Pendragon, it appears I have no choice but to be involved."

Kilgarrah said nothing for a while. In that few moments, everyone were now gathered, waiting for Kilgarrah to explain everything. Mordred popped up beside him and Arthur gently nudged him with his shoulder.

When Mordred looked up at Arthur, he could see a mix of fear and uncertainty in his face. Slipping an arm across his shoulder, Arthur smiled down at him, attempting to be reassuring.

Things couldn't be that bad.

* * *

In the aftermath of Kilgarrah's revelations, both groups had separated, with Arthur, Morgana and Lancelot on the deck. Arthur munched on an apple, his mind swirling with thoughts.

"We will pass Gwaine very soon. He will have directions from your father."

Arthur grudgingly looked at Lancelot. "Either way, the most immediate thing is to get back to Camelot without incident. Two ships will not be enough to deal with this threat. Truthfully, I don't know if Camelot is capable of dealing with this."

"We need to get Merlin to work with us," said Morgana.

"He's loyal to Gwen and why would they want to be involved? They will survive even if all of Albion goes up in flames." Arthur stared at the apple core in his hands. Merlin's involvement would mean Gwen's involvement and he didn't know how he felt about it.

"They might survive but you will not. I wonder what Gwen thinks of that."

Arthur shot Morgana a cold look, even as he ignored Lancelot's boring eyes on him. "Gwen doesn't care if I live or die."

"There's still Mordred. You and him have a bond. I've seen it," said Lancelot. "The dragon said it would take the three of them to retrieve the stone. Perhaps we can do it with two."

"Mordred can barely use his magic! And he's just a boy." Arthur pitched the core overboard.

Morgana stood and walked to the side of the ship, her hair flying in the wind. Dusk was falling and the sun was a deep red against the ocean. "As long as we do not retrieve the stone, we will never defeat the Old Religion."

Lancelot let out a sigh. "It seems strange, using magic to defeat the Old Religion. Are you sure we can trust this dragon?"

"The Old Religion, despite its name, focuses on the use of dark magic. Control and mastery of nature is its aim. It does not care who or what gets in their way. The magic Merlin and I practice is not dark magic, although I suspect Merlin knows some." She turned and leaned against the side of the ship. The wind carried her words to Arthur. "Without Merlin, we're cannot win."

Arthur shut his eyes and breathed in the sea breeze. A hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up.

"You need to talk to Merlin, my lord. Convince him to work with us. Gwen may -"

"Don't talk about Gwen or tell me what to do, Lancelot." Standing quickly, Arthur walked away. He needed to think, about the impending attack, about Gwen, about his duty to Camelot.

* * *

On his way back to his cabin, Arthur saw Mordred curled up on the steps, looking small and afraid. As much as he wanted to be alone with his thoughts, he couldn't ignore Mordred.

"Hey." Arthur eased himself down next to Mordred. "What's wrong?"

Lifting his head, Mordred stared forlornly at Arthur. "I don't want to have magic."

"It's an amazing power. You've seen what Merlin and Morgana can do with it." Arthur smiled at him.

Mordred straightened up, his hands clasped on his lap. "You saw what I did in the fight. Merlin says I'm dangerous and uncontrollable."

"I thought it was brilliant," said Arthur. "We would all have been dead if it wasn't for you."

An almost smile crossed Mordred's face. "You think so?"

"I think so. And if you work with Merlin and Mordred, I'm sure they can teach you to control your magic."

"What if – what if my magic is dark magic, like the one Kilgarrah talked about?" In the dimming light, Arthur looked into Mordred's worried eyes.

"Gwen will never abandon you. She didn't when you were difficult and she won't even if you have dark magic." Arthur ruffled his hair. "And you'll always have a place in Camelot."

"As a knight?"

Arthur grinned. "As my manservant."

* * *

Gwen sat in the cabin Lancelot had assigned to her. Elena was next to her on the floor, half sprawled on Percy. On the bed, Merlin lay on his stomach, his hands propping up his chin.

"So basically, there's going to be a huge war in Albion and you are a key player in it?" Gwen tilted her head at Merlin and looked questioningly at him. "Seems like you're more than an ordinary magic user."

Merlin shrugged. "Killy is always saying I was special but you know how cryptic he can be. Plus he never tells the whole truth. So I just ignored him."

"Now what?" Elena asked. "Are you going to leave us and join Camelot?"

Gwen looked back at Merlin, her heart beating wildly as she waited for Merlin's answer. Selfishly, she didn't want him to go to Camelot. She wanted Merlin to be with her, like he'd always been. But hearing Kilgarrah talk of a world shrouded in dark magic, Gwen was sure it was not a place she wanted to live in. Her head hit the wall behind her and she let out a sigh.

"I don't know," said Merlin finally. "I feel like I should join them. But, I don't want to. I want to sail the seas, rescue random ships, sunbathe, tinker around with my magic."

"If you don't help Camelot, you won't be able to do that either, because we'll probably be caught in the crossfire." Gwen turned as Percy spoke.

Elena nodded. "Percy is right, much as I hate to admit it."

"You two think Merlin should join Camelot?"

"We think all of us should join Camelot. We have no ship, we belong nowhere. This isn't The Great War. Not the way Killy talks about it and we need to choose a side," said Elena.

* * *

Clouds obscured the moon but the stars twinkled in the sky. It seemed that she was alone, everyone else was probably asleep in the cabins below. Lifting her hands, she braided her hair then tilted her head up. How many times had she stood on the deck of Excalibur, looking up at the stars, wondering how much larger the universe was? Now Excalibur was gone and liked Elena said, they belonged nowhere.

She wanted her carefree life back. The life in which her heart wasn't battered on all sides. The life in which she'd never met Arthur.

As if her thoughts conjured him up, she heard him call her name, barely above a whisper. Before she turned, Gwen tried to remember the anger she'd felt earlier but all she managed to dredge up was a deep sense of sadness.

"We need Merlin to work with us."

Her heart broke a little more as disappointment rushed through her. Clearly he wasn't here to talk about them.

"I know. He's considering it."

Arthur stepped closer. "What would make him agree?"

"Merlin won't leave us. So if you want his help, I guess you have to take us too."

She looked at him. Just in the beginning of the day, he'd asked her to go to Camelot with him. Had he changed his mind since?

"Good. That wouldn't be a problem." He moved so he could grab the side of the ship and he stared out into the darkness. "And when it's over, I'll give you a ship. Maybe not this one, but you can have a ship to continue your life."

"Good," Gwen said although she felt far from good. He had changed his mind about her. But she didn't need him. She would get a ship and that was all she needed.

Waves crashed against the ship, making the only sounds on the deck. Gwen stood next to Arthur, her hands gripping the ship as she leaned over, letting the sea spray on her face. "Tell me about your betrothed."

Gwen wondered why she even asked that question. Perhaps she needed that last knife to shred the last of her hopes. Unsurprisingly, Arthur didn't answer immediately, but she noticed the tightening of his grip on the railings.

"She's a princess from a neighbouring kingdom." Arthur's voice was flat and he continued to stare out into the ocean.

Twisting the knife, she asked, "How long have you been engaged?"

"A few months. We got engaged just before that trip when you boarded my ship." Finally, he turned to face her. "I barely know her. It was supposed to be a political marriage."

"And you agreed to it?"

A bitter laugh escaped him. "Yes. Because then, all I wanted was to be the son my father wanted."

Gwen studied Arthur's face, drawn and pale. "What do you want now?"

"I want to be the son my father wants."

That little flutter of hope died in her. "Oh."

"I also want you." His finger touched her cheek briefly.

She opened her mouth, but couldn't think of what to say to his words. Did he want her for just a few nights? Forever? As a mistress?

When she didn't respond, he took a step back, the warmth in his tone disappearing. "I told you about Mithian. Tell me about Lancelot."

"I met him at a port, I thought we were in love then he left." She gave Arthur a wry smile. "He didn't even bother to break up with me face to face, just left me a note."

"Jerk," breathed Arthur.

"I know. I have terrible luck with men."

His hand was cupping her face and Arthur was closer than she realized. "I'm sorry."

"Kiss me," she said, wanting the comfort of his touch, wanting to be close to him again, even if it was going to be temporary.

Arthur didn't even hesitate, leaning towards her and capturing her lips with his. The moment their lips touched, it was like a fire had been lit beneath them. She clutched at his shoulders while he pulled her flush against him, so that every part of her touched every part of him.

"You drive me nuts," Arthur rasped when he pulled away. "I never know what to do when I am with you."

Smoothing her hands down his chest, she blinked up at him. "You do the same to me."

He smiled down at her and ran his thumb across her lower lip. "Come with me to Camelot. Not because of Merlin. Not because you have no choice. But because you want to be with me."

"Why do you want me in Camelot?"

For a while, Gwen thought he wasn't about to answer. Then, so quietly that she had to strain to hear, even in the silent night, he said, "I love you."

"Yes," she said, as happiness started to build in her. "Yes, I'll go with you." And before she could say anything else, he was kissing her again.

When they finally surfaced, she asked, "Will I still get a ship?"

Arthur's laughter wrapped around her. Leaning down, he whispered into her ears, his breath sending goosepimples across her skin, "Yes, you'll still get a ship."


	18. Chapter 18

“My lord?”

Arthur struggled to open his eyes as the knocking on the door continued. His arm was numb, having had Gwen sleep on it most of the night. Not that he was complaining.

“My lord!”

Beside him, Gwen murmured something and curled into his chest. Instinctively, he tucked her closer and kissed her unruly hair. After Gwen had agreed to return to Camelot with him, Arthur had never felt so content. Unable to help himself, he smiled as he remembered how they had spent the night. With a regretful sigh, he eased his arm from under her warm, naked body. She opened her eyes, yawning.

“I need to see to something. You stay in bed.” Arthur kissed her gently and she smiled, before closing her eyes again.

Pulling on his trousers, Arthur yelled at the door. “Coming.”

When, after opening the door, Arthur noticed Lancelot’s eyes drift to his bed, he quickly shut it. “What is it?”

“We’ve spotted Gwaine’s ship, my lord.”

“How far?” Perhaps it wasn’t Arthur’s most rational thought but immediately, he wished Gwaine had taken longer so he could have more time with Gwen before everything started.

“A day, at most.”

Arthur patted Lancelot’s shoulder. “Keep on course. And let the others know. Thank you.”

Lancelot didn’t leave and Arthur raised a questioning eyebrow. In response, Lancelot cleared his throat. “I don’t mean to overstep my bounds but –“

“If this is about Gwen, then yes, you’re overstepping your bounds. The relationship between Gwen and I is not your business. It stopped being your business the moment you dumped her.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Lancelot bowed and said, “You’re right, of course, my lord.”

Arthur waited for Lancelot to turn the corner before he returned to his cabin, where Gwen was awake and sitting up in bed. Her hair was all over the place, her eyes still hooded and the crumpled sheets were pulled up to cover herself. She was adorable. How did anyone believe she was a blood thirsty pirate? With a grin, Arthur climbed back into bed, slipped under the sheets with Gwen and kissed her thoroughly.

“What was that about?”

“Gwaine’s ship is about to cross paths with us. Gwaine’s the captain of the navy.”

“Ah,” said Gwen, as her fingers drew patterns on his bare chest. “The man you lost your post to.”

Arthur could barely pay attention to her words the moment she started to kiss his shoulder, then his chest. “That’s the one. Mmmm.”

“I think –“

Gwen kissed his chest.

“That you need –“

She pressed another kiss, slightly lower, just above his navel.

“Some –“

Moving lower, she untied his trousers and pushed them down.

“Sympathy.”

Her lips brushed against the inside of his thigh, making him shudder. He reached for her. “I think so too. Losing my post was devastating.”

Her laugh vibrated against his thigh, warming his heart.

From where he sat on the bed, Arthur watched Gwen braid her hair. “When we cross Gwaine’s ship, I want you and your crew under the deck. I don’t want him attacking when he sees you. He can be a bit hot-headed and with his position, he might just do that.”

“What are you going to tell him?” Her eyes caught his in the mirror.

“The truth. Well, most of it. That we need Merlin’s help to defeat this magical threat. Hence, the decision not to kill all of you.”

Her hands paused. “And us?”

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s his business.” Arthur stood and walked over to Gwen, placing his hands on her shoulders. Bending down, he kissed her cheek. “But I don’t see how we can avoid telling him about us. Eventually.”

“How do you think he will react?” Gwen leaned back against him, tilting her head up to look at him.

Arthur shrugged. “That’s the perk of being the crown prince. Even the captain of the navy is below me in rank. What can he say?”

“I don’t think he’ll be pleased.”

“I think he has bigger things to worry about than who I sleep with,” huffed Arthur. “Are you trying to tell me that you think we should hide this?”

It was Gwen’s turn to shrug. “I don’t know. Strangely enough, I’ve never been in this situation before.”

With a shake of his head, Arthur took a step back. “I’m going to up on deck and get ready for Gwaine’s arrival. You deal with your crew, alright?”

* * *

“Mordred.” Stepping up on the deck, Gwen saw him standing alone, slightly apart from where Elena and Percy were. “How have you been?”

He grunted. “Merlin hates me.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t. He is just isn’t great at dealing with stress. At least he isn’t blowing holes in ships.” Gwen smiled at him. “It’s nice to have you back.”

“Arthur says you’ll keep me as part of your crew in even if I have magic.”

“Why wouldn’t I? Merlin has magic. And at any rate, we took you in even when you were sulking and whining. Although, this is assuming you want to stay with us.”

That drew a slight smile from Mordred. “Yeah. I’m glad you didn’t thrown me overboard.”

“Believe me, Elena wanted to many times.” She moved so she stood closer to him. “What was Camelot like?”

“It was huge! And the castle – it had so many rooms and there was so much food. When Arthur returned, there was a huge feast and everyone was celebrating and, I always knew that he was crown prince, but I didn’t realise it was such a big deal until I was there. They love him. And his bride is -” Mordred stopped, slapping his hand across his mouth.

Pushing down the sudden burst of envy in her throat, she smiled reassuringly at Mordred. “And what did you do there?” As Mordred waxed lyrical about the wonders of the kingdom of Camelot, Gwen encouraged him with questions, even as she became more uncertain of her decision to go to Camelot. It sounded so large and different from what she was used to.

“ … Gwaine isn’t as nice as Arthur.”

That caught Gwen’s attention. “You’ve met Gwaine?”

“Yes. He really hates you.” Mordred shuddered. “He was so insistent that Arthur needed to hunt your ship down to destroy all of you. I’m not looking forward to seeing him again.”

“Neither am I,” sighed Gwen. “Look, I have to go talk to Elena and Percy for a while.”

“Yeah, Merlin and Morgana are expecting me to be downstairs practising magic.” Mordred made a face, causing Gwen to laugh and give him a light push towards the stairs. He gave an exaggerated sigh, then went down the stairs.

Elena and Percy were standing at the front of the ship, turning when Gwen approached them. “Lancelot said that ship in the distance is Gwaine’s.”

“That’s what I’ve gathered. We need to be off the deck when the ships meet. Gwaine isn’t a fan of ours it seems,” said Gwen.

“That’s what Lancelot said as well,” said Elena. “What are our plans by the way?”

“We’re going to Camelot and throwing our lot in with them. Assuming this is alright by you.”

Percy nodded solemnly. Elena looked a little less convinced. “I think that we have little choice, but I’m not keen on it. Camelot doesn’t exactly love us, what with their desire for revenge. And of course there is that little matter of them killing your father.”

Gwen ignored Elena’s last line. “Arthur says he will get us a ship in Camelot. It won’t be Excalibur but at least it’s a ship.”

Surprise fleetingly crossed Elena’s face. Then, she studied Gwen closely. “That’s the least he can do, to be honest. And does this mean, once Merlin has done his part, we’re going to resume the old life?”

Gwen wanted to say yes, but the truth was, she had no clue.

* * *

“You survived.”

Arthur wasn’t sure how to take the surprise in Gwaine’s tone. “Did you expect me not to?”

“I thought it was foolish of you to go on land without support. What did you find out?” They stood on the deck of Arthur’s ship side by side, staring out into the endless ocean.

Aside from the slight frown on his face, Gwaine’s expression betrayed nothing of his thoughts as Arthur relayed the events of the past few days. At the mention of Kilgarrah, Gwaine merely lifted his eyebrows. It was only when Arthur talked about working with Gwen that Gwaine finally spoke.

“Allies.” He drew out the word as he looked assessing at Arthur. “Of all the outcomes of your little adventure, this was not one I expected. And yet, assuming the speaking dragon is to be trusted, it seems the most sensible course of action.”

Arthur moved his lips a little, trying to smile. “I only hope that father will be as accepting of this as you.”

Leaning against the rails and crossing his arms, Gwaine smirked. “That’s a tall order. For one thing, I have no feelings one way or another about Captain Gwen and her crew. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that your father harbours a deep dislike of them.”

Like Arthur needed reminding of that fact. He leaned over the railings and watched the waves that lapped against the ship. Calm and gentle on the surface yet Arthur knew in deeper oceans, there were powerful and dangerous currents. They would be sailing into those currents soon and Arthur needed to be confident of navigating them without throwing Gwen to the sharks or sacrificing Camelot to its depths.

“How do you feel about Captain Gwen?” A glint in Gwaine’s eyes told Arthur that the question was far from innocent.

“She’s a useful ally.”

“Really.”

Arthur said nothing and turned back to look at the water.

“Our friendship might have been strained in recent months but I can still tell when you’re lying. You were reluctant to go after her for revenge, you were protective of that boy from her crew and now, you’ve rescued them instead of leaving them to the mercy of Cenred.”

“I told you already, we need their help –“

“Liar.” Gwaine’s hand came down on Arthur’s shoulder. “I’m your friend, Arthur. I might be your only one.”

The waves continued to lap against the ship, a hypnotic sight. He and Gwaine had been buddies since the moment Arthur swung his sword and clattered Gwaine to the ground when they were still pageboys. And while their friendship had never been smooth-sailing, for years, Arthur had implicitly trusted Gwaine. Arthur lifted his head and looked at Gwaine. With some trepedition, Arthur said quietly, perhaps hoping the waves would mask his confession, “I might be in love with Gwen.”

Silence greeted his pronouncement and for an optimistic moment, Arthur thought that maybe Gwaine hadn’t heard him. Then Gwaine smiled slightly and in his eyes, Arthur could see pity. “Well, they do say love makes no sense.”

That made Arthur smile. He and Gwen certainly made no sense. She was a wanted pirate and he was crown prince of the largest, most powerful kingdom in Albion. She was calm, sensible and patient. Arthur was none of those, not on first sight.

“Are you planning to marry her?” The reminder of Mithian hung in the air between them.

His relationship with Gwen felt like navigating a ship in a storm, with no maps and no compasses. One wrong turn and the whole thing would unravel. And talking too much about their relationship felt too much like rocking the ship for no reason. So Arthur simply shrugged.

“Well then, do I get to meet her? The pirate who won your heart?” Arthur scowled at the mirth in Gwaine’s voice.

“Of course.”

Unsurprisingly, tension simmered between Gwen and Gwaine when they came face to face. She had on, what Arthur now termed, her serious pirate face – the cold, flinty expression she had when she was in her fierce, no-nonsense, cold-blooded pirate persona. He bit down on a smile and the desire to kiss her until the cold mask melted into warmth and passion. Flanking her were Elena and Percy. Lancelot hovered annoying in the back. The three magic users were conspicuously missing.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Gwen hesitated slightly before taking Gwaine’s outstretched hand. “I’ve heard very little about you.”

“That can only be a good thing,” said Gwaine. “Arthur tells me that we will be on the same side.”

Gwen looked blandly at Gwaine. “Does that trouble you?”

The smile Gwaine gave Gwen was insincere and Arthur bristled. She didn’t need to be treated this way. “It depends on whether you turn on us after this is all over. But Arthur trusts you and I trust him. I suppose we should get to know each other. I get the feeling that we will be spending a lot of time together.”

* * *

“I’ll see you back in Camelot,” said Arthur as Gwaine crossed over to his ship.

A yell and the sound of things falling cut short Arthur’s farewell to Gwaine. Shooting Arthur an amused look, Gwaine hopped onto the deck of his ship and waved. “Good luck.”

Arthur rushed below deck. The last thing he needed was Merlin blowing a hole through his ship.

Gwen was already in the small bunk the three magic users were using as a training room. Smoke was slowly dissipating and much to his relief, there were no holes to be seen. In the middle of the room, Mordred stood, slightly shame-faced. Morgana waved a hand and Arthur watched the debris in the room pick themselves up and form a pile on the ground.

“Is everyone alright?” asked Gwen, crossing over to Mordred and touching his shoulder gently.

From a corner, Merlin stepped out. “It’s fine. Mordred finally managed to actually control a bit of his magic. He needs more focus though and much more patience.”

Arthur smiled and caught Mordred’s eye. He nodded approvingly. “Good work Mordred.”

Beside him, Morgana blew out a huff. “He needs more work. How long before we get to Camelot?”

"Less than a week. Maybe five days. Kilgarrah mentioned different kinds of magic.” He leaned against the wall of the bunk and crossed his arms. “Want to fill me in?”

When Gwen moved to his side, he took her hand and tugged her close. Their relationship was an open secret and he saw no reason to hide in the shadows anymore. She didn’t pull away and he smiled briefly down at her. Merlin and Morgana exchanged looks.

“Well? Surely you know something, because I am placing my trust, my reputation and my kingdom in your hands.” Impatience and worry made him snappish. “I’d hate to think you three know nothing about how magic works.”

It was Morgana who finally spoke. “There are two systems of magic in the word – dark and light, as the laypeople would call them. Magic is inextricably linked with nature – it’s the energy that keeps our world alive. But dark magic, the one Cenred is using, works by draining nature, destroying her. Light magic works in alignment with nature.”

Merlin continued. “Both can attain the same ends. You can use dark or light to make a fire, but dark magic is easier, more powerful.”

“You never told me any of this, Merlin,” said Gwen. Arthur could hear the slight hurt in her voice and squeezed her hand.

“I never knew before. You know how magic has always been instinctual for me – I feel it more than anything.”

"What magic do you use?" Gwen asked.

“Both. Dark magic is more powerful, but I could feel its destructiveness, so I rarely use it. That’s why the invisibility spell was so difficult – I couldn’t find a way to achieve it without tearing at nature.”

“Merlin doesn’t believe in theory,” sniffed Morgana. “That’s why he doesn’t know –“

Merlin turned to Morgana. “You can know all the theory in the world but it’s of no use if you can’t put them to practical use.”

From the way Morgana’s jaw clenched, Arthur knew she was on the edge of losing her temper. He smirked as she spoke, her voice laced with glass. “You can’t expect to win this war through feeling your way through.”

“And you can’t win by explaining theory to them either. Frankly, you would have benefitted from more practical practice sessions.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You try getting more practice when you live in a kingdom that kills magic users.”

“Alright,” said Arthur. As enjoyable as watching Morgana and Merlin annoy each other was, this was going nowhere and Arthur still had no clue as to what exactly all this magic was. He looked over to where Mordred stood, his lips in his usual pout. Arthur imagined it couldn’t have been fun being taught by two squabbling magic users. “Mordred, come help me with some of the riggings. We are going to have to change direction to sail towards Camelot.”

With a kick to the floor, Mordred walked to Arthur, flinching when Gwen ruffled his hair.

Arthur kissed Gwen lightly on her cheek. “I’ll see you later. We can talk tactics after dinner.”

* * *

“How’s the training going?” Arthur asked as Mordred tied the riggings.

"I hate it.”

“It has to feel good to be able to control your magic.”

Mordred stopped his work. “It felt better when I didn’t realise I had magic abilities.”

Taking a step towards Mordred, Arthur place a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Believe me, it’s always better knowing. Even if the information seems nothing but bad news.”

Mordred shrugged out of Arthur’s hold. “What negative information could you possibly have learn about yourself?”

“Well, I told you how my father decided I was too weak to be commander of the navy.” Thinking of his father’s words, no matter how long ago they were, still hurt. “And on some level, he’s not wrong. I don’t have the iron-will, the ability to sacrifice the masses to do the things my father did to gain control of Camelot.”

“It’s not the same,” said Mordred.

“Why don’t you tell me about it then?”

“I have dark magic, or so Morgana said.” Mordred muttered, swore then dropped the ropes. “I told you I would have dark magic. I’m evil.”

For a moment, Arthur didn’t know what to say. “What do Merlin and Morgana say?”

“They say that just because dark magic comes naturally to me, it doesn’t mean I can’t learn to use light magic.”

“Then, that doesn’t mean you’re evil.” Arthur grabbed both of Mordred shoulders, forcing Mordred to look up at him. “Look, you can learn light magic. You don’t have to use dark magic. It’s a choice you make. And I know you’ll make the right choice.”

Easy to say, Arthur thought wryly. He knew how hard it was to make the right choices sometimes. Mordred grunted, then turned back to the riggings. In silence, they adjusted the sails to make their way back to Camelot.

* * *

With the ship all ready and them making their way back to Camelot, Arthur calculated that he had about four more nights with Gwen before things started to become complicated. He’d gone back to the training bunk with Mordred, watching with a mix of amusement and worry as Morgana and Merlin attempted to teach Mordred how to use his magic. Mordred had magic, that was now without doubt, but Merlin was a reluctant teacher and Morgana, far too impatient. Together with Mordred’s fear of magic, the three of them were getting nowhere. Perhaps tomorrow, he would have a talk with Mordred again.

Now, however, he wanted to spend some time with Gwen.

She was probably on the deck and he climbed up the steps eagerly. Sure enough, she was standing at the rails, her hair loose and flying in the wind. Walking as quietly as possible, he crept up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss against her neck.

“Arthur,” she laughed, turning to face him. “You scared me.”

“You? Scared? I hear you’re a vicious pirate captain.” Dipping his head, he kissed the other side of her neck.

“That I am, and I should really get my revenge on you for scaring me like that.”

Immediately, he lifted her into his arms, causing her to squeal. “I think I have the upper hand tonight. And now, I am going to have my wicked way with you.”

Her arms twined around his neck and her hot breath brushed against his ear, issuing threats that Arthur was going to make sure she carried out.

* * *

Gwen looked expectantly at Mordred. In fact, everyone was looking expectantly at him, except for Merlin and Arthur.

“You know the words. Just focus.” Even Arthur could tell that Merlin’s patience was wearing thin.

Mordred glared at Merlin. “I tried and it didn’t work.”

“You’re not focused enough!”

“Merlin,” said Gwen calmly. “Why don’t you light the fire then we can have our dinner? Mordred, how about you serve out the food?”

Grumbling under his breath, Mordred did as Gwen asked. Gwen watched worriedly as Mordred angrily slopped the food into the bowls and shoved the bowls at them. Discipline had never been Mordred’s strong suit and coupled with his frustration at learning how to control his magic, what Arthur had revealed to her before, she had a suspicion that his magic training wasn’t going very well. She looked over at Merlin who also looked like he was fraying at the edges. At least, Elena and Percy seemed the same and Gwen was thankful that, aside from being incredibly possessive of her free time, Arthur seemed in control of everything. At least on the surface.

“We will be sailing into Camelot’s port in about two to three days,” said Arthur. “It’s been a week since we left Othanden and I believe that Cenred and whoever he is working with will be marching south as we speak. There were no other ships docked at Othanden so they will be on foot.”

“How long will they take by foot?” asked Percy. “We should be reaching Camelot in two days. The winds have been kind to us.”

Arthur stretched his legs out and leaned towards the fire Merlin had started. The night air was cooling fast. “It depends if Lothrian puts up a good defense.”

“Lothrian just recovered from a drought. They will fall easily, although with Lady Helen in charge of the army, they might surprise us.” Lancelot sighed then rubbed his head. “You know that once Lothrian falls, Nemeth, Mithian’s kingdom, is next.”

Gwen’s eyes darted to Lancelot, then to Arthur who was sitting opposite her, whose annoyance was clearly written all over his face. Arthur may not have mentioned her name to Gwen but Gwen suspected immediately that Mithian was Arthur’s betrothed. The wariness in Lancelot’s tone and the look he darted to Arthur were clues enough.

“Oh? Is Nemeth important?” she asked as neutrally as possible, even as irrational jealousy gripped her heart.

The inability of Arthur to maintain eye contact with her was just confirmation that she was correct. Through gritted teeth, Arthur said, “All kingdoms are important.”

“Of course,” said Gwen.

“Your father will want Nemeth defended.” Lancelot said, his eyes moving between Arthur and Gwen.

“It is a kingdom I would like to defend as well. But the odds are not in our favour. I don’t know if we can make it to Camelot, prepare for battle and still be in time to intercept them at Nemeth.”

Arthur looked at her and Gwen could see his concern. Her jealousy faded a little. “Is Nemeth landlocked?”

“No. There is a small port outside their main city.”

“Then, we might still be able to make it if we take your ships instead of just going by land. Especially if Merlin can manipulate the weather.”

Merlin looked up. “It’s not impossible but you know I’ve never been able to do anything significant before.”

“I’ve conjured up winds before,” said Morgana. “Nothing strong enough to move a ship but maybe –“

“It’s worth a shot,” said Merlin.

As the fire burned into embers, they spoke softly of what needed to be done when they reached Camelot. Listening to Arthur, Lancelot and Morgana discuss how best to deal with Uther, Gwen wondered what on earth she had gotten herself involved in.

* * *

Gwen was combing out her hair in her cabin when Elena popped in. For a while, Elena simply sat on the edge of Gwen’s bed and watched her get ready for bed. Finally, Gwen could not take the silence any longer.

“What is it, Elena?”

“Percy says that Arthur has a betrothed in Camelot. That’s why Arthur thinks Nemeth is important, isn’t it?” Her words were cold and accusing. When Gwen didn’t answer, she continued. “What are you doing, Gwen? You have no future with him. There’s some princess waiting for him in Camelot. You’re just a pirate. A pirate without a ship.”

Gwen put her comb down with a clatter. “I trust him. He will call off the engagement.”

“And then he’s going to marry you? Is that what he said?”

“Elena. Honestly, I have no idea what is going to happen when we reach Camelot.” Gwen walked over to Elena, sat down next to her and took her hands. “But we’re pirates and we take risks, right?”

Elena placed a hand on Gwen’s cheek. “I saw what happened with Lancelot. You don’t deserve to go through it again.”

“Arthur will come through.” But even as she said those words, Gwen realized that she was already preparing to be hurt and disappointed. “No matter what, we agreed to support Camelot in the fight. That’s what we need to focus on. Also, Arthur promised me a ship. At the very least, we have that.”

“Ooh,” said Elena with a smile. “A Camelot ship.”

In the face of Elena’s glee, Gwen couldn’t help her laugh. “Imagine. A ship fitted out with the latest weapons, designed to travel quicker and armoured to withstand attacks.”

“It would have plush furniture too. Like this bed.” Elena bounced a little. “And those fancy carvings on the sides.”

“Yes!”

The two of the giggled as they discussed their dream ship, building it up until Gwen wasn’t sure that such a ship could even exist even hundreds of years into the future.

Someone cleared their throat, and looking up, Gwen saw Arthur at the doorway. He smiled slightly.

“Am I interrupting?”

Elena shot Gwen a look. “I was just going.”

“Good,” said Arthur.

Elena had barely stepped out of the bunk when Arthur closed the door firmly behind her. Then, for a while, he stood, looking seriously at Gwen. Something was on his mind and it made Gwen nervous. Perhaps he was having second thoughts about calling off his engagement. Perhaps –

But before Gwen could continue with her thoughts, Arthur took a few strides towards her, leaned down and kissed her hard.

“What was that for? Not that I am complaining,” said Gwen, her hands fisting in his shirt. They were sprawled on her bed and Arthur hovered over her, his eyes still serious and worried. He pushed her hair from her face gently, then kissed her again, this time with a lot more gentleness.

“I will break off my betrothal. You have to believe me,” he said eventually. “But the least I can do is to try and protect her kingdom.”

Moving from under him, she sat up. “I believe you, Arthur.”

“Good.”

“What is she like?” Gwen asked, her curiosity winning out. She moved so she was leaning against him and Arthur slipped his arm around her shoulder.

Arthur frowned. “What does it matter?”

“Is she beautiful? Is she smart?”

“This line of questioning is going to go nowhere good,” growled Arthur. “I have a better idea of what we can do instead.”

Then he quite effectively shut her up by covering her mouth with his.


	19. Chapter 19

By the time Gwen was born, her father had already made it on Camelot’s most wanted list. Unsurprisingly, Gwen had never stepped foot on Camelot’s soil. She had, on occasion, sailed past Camelot waters, but even her father, fearless as he often was, never made the slightest incursion into their territory. The stories she had heard, when she was just a kid, in the taverns and from the ships her father plundered told of a kingdom full of rare jewels, gorgeous mountains and castles that reached the sky that she would stand at the bow of the Excalibur, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of this wondrous place whenever they sailed past. Her impressions of Camelot had taken a turn for the worst after Uther hunted down and killed her father.

Now, as they sailed towards Camelot as the early morning sun peeked over the horizon, she once again stood at the bow, her untied hair dancing in the sea breeze, as she squinted in the direction of Arthur’s kingdom. How much things had changed since she’d taken Arthur prisoner. She never thought she’d ever set foot on Camelot and yet that was exactly what she would be doing in a few hours. 

Arthur had talked about breaking off his betrothal but that didn’t mean he was going to marry her. And what would she do as a princess? Gwen sighed. She had been so caught up in Arthur’s profession of love, in being with him that she hadn’t been thinking.

Completely oblivious to the thoughts swirling in her head, Mordred came to stand next to her and chattered excitedly. “ – and if you look over there, those white towers – that’s the castle!”

He had already pointed out the market, the stables and the main village. Mordred went on about the castle, describing its size and the luxury contained within its walls. The way he spoke, the light in his eyes, the Camelot castle was the grand finale of his quick tour of Camelot. In response, despite the heaviness in her heart, Gwen smiled at him, her eyes lingering on the turrets of the castle rising above the kingdom. The turrets, extending majestically into the sky, brought home to Gwen just how foreign all this was to her. Her grip on the rails tightened and her smile froze on her face, even as she listened to Mordred. 

She spotted the busy Camelot port just as Arthur walked up to them. With a smile, Arthur squeezed Mordred’s shoulder then stood beside her, his arm slipping around her waist. 

“And that’s your kingdom.” Gwen looked up at him. 

With more tenderness than she expected, Arthur kissed the top of her head. “Ready?” He asked softly.

“Yes,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

He pulled her closer and they stood side-by-side as the ship pulled into the port.

Objectively, Camelot port was no different from any other port that Gwen had visited. The same labourers, merchants and sailors thronged the port. The same smells wafted into her nose. The same noises rang in her ears. But in all her years, Gwen had never had a large entourage greet her at the port. From her vantage point, she could see the formation of knights, all clad in the striking Camelot red, waiting for their prince. Arthur had wanted her to disembark with him but she’d declined. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself or her crew by walking next to the crown prince.

“Let’s go,” said Lancelot. “I am to escort you to the castle and get you settled in.”

Gwen nodded, then looked over the rails again. Arthur had stepped onto the dock and was talking to the knights. As if he could feel her eyes on him, he looked up briefly but his attention was quickly taken by a slender, dark-haired lady next to him. She dripped with jewels and her deep green dress was embroidered with intricate patterns and was more luxurious than anything Gwen had ever seen. The way her arm lingered on Arthur’s chest, the way she smiled at him all spoke of a certain intimacy and there was no doubt in Gwen’s mind that this was Mithian, Arthur’s intended. 

“Gwen?”

Ignoring the sudden jealousy that churned in her stomach, Gwen quickly turned back to Lancelot and took the hand he offered. “Come, introduce me to Camelot.”

He smiled warmly. “My pleasure.”

Mordred, Elena and Percy had gotten off the ship already, leaving just Merlin and Lancelot with her. With Arthur already making his way towards the castle, there were fewer people milling around the ship. Gwaine nodded at her as they passed, before he continued giving instructions to the various workers on the dock. 

Usually Gwen relied on the good cheer of Merlin to keep her spirits buoyed whenever she was feeling unsure or nervous, but a quick glance to her side told her that Merlin was feeling as troubled as she was. Slipping her hand in his, she gave it a squeeze, managing to wring a small smile from him.

“It’ll be alright.”

“It will,” agreed Merlin.

Biting her lip, Gwen looked up at the looming castle. Even with Mordred’s gushing over the majesty of the Camelot castle, she was still unprepared for just how huge it was. Grey stone covered its exterior, rough and discoloured from exposure from the elements. Vines snaked round the walls next to large red flags that hung from the castle. Knights silently walked the walls high up, while others stood guard on the ground. By the time, they were in the courtyard, Arthur was nowhere to be seen and a slight sense of panic rose in Gwen.

“Come,” said Lancelot. “Arthur will be in council with his father. Would you like some tea while the maids get your rooms ready? Arthur will make formal introductions after you’ve rested.”

They were ushered into a small room dominated by large, plush seats. Heavy curtains framed a large window which looked out into the royal gardens, blooming flowers dotted the view. Above the fireplace, hung a large portrait of an older woman. Her crown sat on carefully styled hair and expensive jewelry draped over her. Her eyes, wise and steadfast, looked steadily ahead, as if presiding over the room. She was just a painting, yet she dominated the room.

“That’s Arthur’s mother,” said Lancelot. “Take a seat. I’ve sent the servants for some tea. Arthur might be a while.”

Percy and Elena were already seated, looking every bit as uncomfortable as she felt. Mordred hovered near the window, staring out while Merlin leaned against the wall, tension shimmering from him. The panic she was feeling exploded and it was only the realization that she had no ship to escape to that kept her in this opulent room. With Lancelot’s hand at her elbow, she sat down on a chair so soft it felt like air. What had she been thinking? She was nothing like the lady in the portrait. She was nothing like Mithian.

“Tea, my lady.” A young girl curtsied, then proceeded to place the tea pot and cups neatly on the low table in front of them. This was accompanied by a plate of crusty biscuits. Her movements were crisp and confident. Dark, fragrant tea filled the delicate cups. Then with another curtsy, the young girl left the room.

Lancelot followed her out, pausing at the doorway to look back at them. “I’ll come get you when Arthur is ready.” 

“I told you the castle was huge!” Mordred broke the tense silence, hushed amazement in his voice. “Can you imagine being the owner of this whole place?”

Elena nodded. “It is very big. Certainly much bigger than we’re used to.”

Gwen could feel Elena’s eyes on her and it only added to her discomfort. Needing a distraction from the panic that churned in her stomach and the dawning realization that she didn’t fit into this world, Gwen picked up a cup of tea and sipped at it. The cup trembled against her lips.

“What do you think is going to happen next?” asked Elena.

“Nothing good,” muttered Merlin from his corner. “First, we have to hope Uther doesn’t slaughter us on sight.”

“Arthur won’t let that happen,” said Gwen firmly. Shakily, she placed the tea back down on the table. The cup clattered against the saucer. “I’m more concerned about how we’re actually going to defeat Cenred and that mysterious woman.”

“We just have to retrieve the crystal, don’t we?” Mordred asked.

“Of course,” said Merlin. “We’ll just walk up to them and ask them nicely. I’m sure they will hand it over.”

Just as Gwen was about to say something, the door opened and Arthur stepped in. He looked tired and distracted but he still managed a smile when their eyes met. “Come, let me show you to your quarters. I’m afraid that I will not be able to put you up in the main wing but the rooms are still better than anything you will get at the taverns.”

For a while, no one moved. Then, finally, Elena pushed herself off the sofa and dusted off her pants. “Well then, lead the way. I need to wash up and a rest.”

One by one, Arthur showed them to rooms off the main wing, closer to the servants’ quarters. Mordred was thrilled but the others simply thanked Arthur before disappearing into their rooms. Once it was just the two of them left, Arthur stopped. 

“I want you to stay in my chambers,” he said quietly, dragging one finger down her cheek. 

Gwen shivered under his touch, even as his words warmed her heart. Yet cold logic prevailed and she shook her head. “Spend the nights in your bed under your father’s roof? And what about your betrothed? It’s a terrible idea.”

A sigh left Arthur’s body and he leaned down, resting his head against her forehead. “You’re right.”

Reaching up to curl her fingers in the hair at his nape, Gwen whispered, “You could rest in my room for a while.”

“I want that so much,” he groaned as he pulled her into a hug and buried his face in her neck. Gwen tightened her hold on him, pushing away her own worries and wondering what exactly had transpired between Arthur and his father. 

+

As much as Arthur wanted to spend what was left of the afternoon with Gwen, he knew he couldn’t put off talking to Mithian. He told Gwen as much as he reluctantly let go of her and slipped out of her bed where they had been lying in. 

After showing her to her room – small but furnished – they had climbed into bed together without a word. Somehow, Gwen seemed to understand that he was feeling raw and tired after his talk with his father and she cradled him in her arms and pressed kisses in his hair. For a long time, they simply lay entwined. Just having her arms around him, her steady breaths in his ear made him feel safe and calm, and the brief thought, just before he dozed off, that he would have this for the rest of his life made him smile.

Now, she was smiling up sleepily at him as he stood. 

“Someone will get you for dinner later. My dad will be there and we can discuss how we will proceed.”

He hated that at his words, her smile dropped. Running a hand through her hair, Gwen nodded. “Yes, of course.”

“I’ll see you later.” Quickly, he bent down to brush a kiss across her lips, before leaving the room to look for Mithian.

Mithian was, as usual, in the gardens. At his greeting, she turned, a smile lighting up her face before it faded into concern.

“Hello, Arthur.” In her hand, she held a yellow flower which she must have picked earlier. Her long, dark hair was loose against her back, her delicate blue dress highlighted her slenderness and against the backdrop of the lush castle gardens, she looked every bit a princess of Camelot. She would fit into his life so easily. “I’m glad you’re back safe.”

“I’m grateful for that too,” he said.

She moved to a nearby bench and sat down, gesturing for him to join her. It was only as he sat down next to her and got a better look at her, that he noticed the tension in her face. Her fingers played with the yellow flower and she sucked in a breath. “Your father told me that it looks like Nemeth is next once Lothrian falls.”

“It appears that way, although we cannot be sure.”

Her eyes met his. There was a strength in them that he’d never noticed before. “My parents are in Nemeth while I am relatively safe here. Uther says he will protect Nemeth. Do you believe him?”

So, Mithian wasn’t foolish enough to trust his father completely either. His regard for her increased and he found himself taking her hands in his. She smiled into his eyes. “I can’t promise anything but I will do my best to ensure Nemeth is defended. We’re planning to sail to Nemeth to intercept the Essetir forces.”

“Instead of crossing by land? Nemeth’s port is treacherous and rarely used.”

Arthur nodded. “It will be faster and time is of the essence. Gwen’s crew -“

At that name, Mithian’s smile faded slightly. “Gwen. She is the pirate captain you returned with. The one who has been terrifying the seven seas.”

“I think that is a bit of an exaggeration.” Slowly, he removed his hand from hers. “But she is a capable captain and she has the services and loyalty of a very skilled crew.”

“And that, I believe, is how she has managed to plunder uncountable ships over the years,” said Mithian archly.

There was so much Arthur wanted to say to that, to make Mithian see who Gwen truly was, but he simply said, “She is not who she seems.”

“You are sure she will not betray us? Her only motivation is riches. Why would she help us?” Arthur felt Mithian’s hand on his. “You once hated her, swore to bring her to justice, and now, you are allies?”

He had to tell himself that Mithian didn’t have the whole picture to stop himself from snapping. Sucking in a breath, Arthur said, “Many things have happened and we have little choice but to work together to defeat the Essetirian forces. They have swept through many kingdoms and we need to stop them.”

“I understand. Sometimes we have to work with the enemy.” Mithian’s hand tightened on his arm and she smiled. “I spoke to your father about our wedding a few days ago. He’s very eager for us to be married although I can understand that with the war –“

“Mithian.” Arthur lifted his eyes to look at her. “There isn’t going to be a wedding. Not for the two of us.”

The smile on her face didn’t falter and Arthur wondered if this was how all princesses were trained. “Not now, of course, despite your father’s wishes. I understand that there is a war approaching and this isn’t the time for such festivities.”

“We barely know each other.”

"And marriage will correct that.” Her fingers dug into his arm. “Your parents didn’t know each other before either and they were happy.”

“Mithian,” Arthur tried again. “We are not getting married.”

Aside from a slight parting of her lips, Mithian remained impressively stoic. “Is there someone else? I believe that it is well within your rights to have a mistress.”

Laughter burst from Arthur. “She will run me through with a sword if I suggest that. And you,” he said quietly, “deserve more than that. We both do.”

Her face still showed no emotion although she dropped her eyes to her lap. "What does your father think?”

“I have not spoken to him. I thought it is only right that I speak to you about it first.” He gently removed her hand from his arm. “I’m sorry.”

She lifted her head, her expression still unreadable. “Who is she?”

“She is no one,” said Arthur. Then as his heart swelled at the thought of Gwen, he allowed himself a smile.”And she is everyone.”

“I hope you know what you are doing, Arthur Pendragon,” said Mithian before she turned and walked away. A few steps away, she turned her head back and spoke, her voice cool and collected. “All I ask is that you keep my father and kingdom safe. The arrangement between us can be discussed at a later time.”

+

Tension might be heavy in the air but no one had tried to kill anyone yet and that could only be a good thing. On one side of the table sat Gwen with her group. Opposite, Arthur sat with Mithian and his men and his father sat at the head of the table, beside Morgana. After formal introductions were made, a brittle silence had filled the Great Hall. Only the sounds of the servants bringing out food and drink could be heard.

“We should talk about how we’re going to proceed,” said Arthur, finally unable to take the silence for any longer. “Nemeth is bound to be next. We have to make plans to protect Nemeth.”

His father nodded. “Of course we will do our best to protect Nemeth. Soon we will be joined into one kingdom and Nemeth’s lands will be our protection.”

At his father’s words, Arthur could feel both Mithian and Gwen’s eyes on him. Wetting his suddenly dry lips, he said, “I have discussed this with Gwen and we agree that the best course of action would be to take some ships to Nemeth. It is unlikely Lothrian will hold out for more than a week. Gwen’s crew will be able to negotiate the tricky Nemeth port.”

“It is a good plan, except that the winds are not in our favour,” said Gwaine with a look at Arthur. “But I guess that magic will take care of that.”

Troublemaker, thought Arthur immediately. 

The mug Uther was holding slammed down onto the table. “No magic. No one in my kingdom will use magic.”

“Then you’re doomed to failure,” said Gwen coldly. 

His father turned to look at Gwen, the first time he’d paid her any heed since they sat down for dinner. “I should have known that you father depended on magic. It’s the only way you could have survived for so long without your father.”

Arthur could see the tension in her spine and the anger in her eyes. 

“We don’t have to help your kingdom. I could take my men and leave right now and rest assure that you will have no hope of winning this war.” Her fingers curled around the stem of the goblet and she took a long drink of wine, her eyes never once leaving Uther’s face.

“Father. She is right. We need magic to fight magic. Surely our kingdom is worth more than our pride.”

Uther merely glanced at Arthur, then went back to staring at Gwen. “And what do you expect from this? Gold? A title?” 

“I want you to leave me and my crew alone.”

“Nothing you can do will erase all the evils that you have perpetrated,” said Uther. “When the war is over, Camelot will continue to hunt all those who make the Albion waters a dangerous place. It is our responsibility.”

Gwaine cleared his throat. “Why don’t we focus on our impending doom instead of all these petty squabbling. For all you know, working with us will teach little miss pirate here the error of her plundering ways.”

“We have nothing to learn from the likes of you,” said Elena, shrugging off the hand Percy had placed on her. “You freely sentence people to death simply because they possess magic. You’re no better than any pirate on the Albion waters.”

"How dare you,” said Uther, dropping his fork onto the table. “I allow you into my castle and feed you and this is how you all behave? I should have thrown all of you into the dungeons like I wanted to in the first place and execute you for piracy!”

“Don’t talk to them like that,” snapped Arthur, frustrated at how everyone was behaving, especially his father. “Gwen and her crew are here at my invitation because they will be valuable in our plans to defeat Essetir. We need their help whether you like it or not.”

“For the record, I stand with Arthur’s assessment,” said Gwaine. “And I am captain of the navy.”

Uther’s face was red and for a moment, Arthur feared he had pushed his father too far. But practicality won out and Uther nodded. “Let us talk about tactics.”

“It is a crystal that is giving Essetir their power,” said Arthur. “Merlin will help us to retrieve and destroy it.”

“And Merlin is the magic one, is he?”

Ignoring his father, Arthur pressed on. “The rest of us will distract the Essetir forces. Once the crystal is destroyed, we should be able to defeat Essetir.”

“It sounds so simple,” said Gwaine mockingly, earning himself a glare from Arthur. “We will leave tomorrow morning for Nemeth to meet up with the Essetir army. If we can keep them busy and prevent them from overrunning Nemeth for long enough, Merlin should be able to get the crystal.”

“A lot seems to depend on the magic one,” said Uther. “How can we trust a magic user?”

“I have a name. It’s Merlin.”

Arthur closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath as more voices joined the argument. Conflict with his father always took a toll on him and this was several times worse. He supposed that he should consider himself lucky that Morgana hadn’t decided to offer her opinion yet. Instead, as he opened his eyes, he saw her lift one eyebrow and curl her lips up into a sympathetic smile. He moved to look at Gwen, only she wasn’t looking at him. Some of her curls had come loose from her braid and her face was flushed. Her eyes flashed with determination as she answered every jab from his father. As lovely, kind and gentle as she was in private, Gwen had a hard outer shell, the one he had bumped up against in the beginning. He almost felt pride, only it was smothered by annoyance with his father’s behavior.

When he heard his father call Gwen a callous, conniving pirate, Arthur had enough. “All this is getting nowhere.” He stood and the noise dulled to a murmur. “We have a war to end and working with Gwen is the only way it will end. Your prejudice against her and against magic will only serve to make things more difficult for us, father.” He looked into his father’s doubting eyes. “You need to trust me.”

Uther opened his mouth, each word a knife to his heart. “That’s exactly the problem here.”

+

Percy and Merlin were silent on the walk back to their rooms, their feet making an irregular, rhythm against the cold, stone floor that echoed off the walls. Lancelot walked beside her, his concern palpable. After dinner, Arthur had remain, presumably to continue discussions – if they could be called that – with his father. She was such a fool, believing in fairy tales. The dinner made it clear that she and Arthur lived in different worlds. It had been so easy, looking into Arthur’s eyes, listening to his words promising her the world, to believe that somehow these two worlds could be merged.

“We should pack our things and leave,” muttered Elena, reminding Gwen that there were more important things to worry about right now. “It might be better for Albion if Camelot burned.”

“Believe me, I am very tempted.” Gwen pushed the door to her room open.

Lancelot placed a hand on the door, just above hers, stopping her from moving into her room. “I realise that the King was less than welcoming but we need your help. As terrible as Camelot under the King’s rule might be, it will be worse under Cenred.” He smiled down at her, warmth in his eyes and Gwen was, for a moment, brought back to a time when he had been her whole life. “And I know you, Gwen. You always do the right thing.”

Merlin cleared his throat. “As touching as your faith in her is, there is no success to be gained if Uther doesn’t cooperate fully.”

His hand dropped from the door and Lancelot turned to face Merlin. “Uther may pull the strings here, but the men respect Arthur and Gwaine. They are the ones who will be listened to.”

“He’s not wrong.” From behind them, Morgana appeared. At dinner, Gwen had noticed that unlike the trousers and loose blouse that she’d worn on the ship, she was dressed in a long, flowing dress and she sparkled with jewels that adorned her neck and arms, not unlike the beautiful Mithian. This was what princesses looked like. Not like her. “Uther is not a merciful man and Arthur’s ability to be merciful threatens his sense of power. But Lancelot is right. The army and navy love him and he will lead the battle.”

“Even so,” said Merlin. “I am not sure we can trust anyone of you.”

Gwen inclined her head. “It’s been a long day and we need to rest. We will see you tomorrow morning.”

“If we decide to help,” said Elena. 

The bed, while comfortable, was empty without Arthur next to her, but it was something that she had to get used to. A quick discussion the moment Lancelot and Morgana left led to them decided to honour their commitment to Arthur, to aid Camelot in her battle against Essetir. As Percy put it quite succinctly, they were part of Albion and Albion’s collapse would mean their death. Gwen closed her eyes as she buried her face into the pillow, willing herself to sleep.

She was halfway there when she heard her door open. Immediately, she went for her sword, sitting up and squinting in the darkness. 

"It's me."

“Arthur.”

She dropped her sword as Arthur made his way towards her. In silence, he reached for her and Gwen moved into his arms. Lifting her hand to his face, she brought it down towards her and kissed him. Against her lips, she felt him say something but it was drowned out by the pounding of her heart and the emotions that swirled in her.

“You will stay, won’t you?” He said against her throat. “Say you will.”

“My crew will fight alongside you.” In response, he kissed her and slipped his hand under her shift, palming her thighs which parted for him.

As he continued to kiss her, she shut her eyes and tried not to think about how she had conveniently left out how she’d decided that once the battle was over, she would leave.

“I love you, Gwen,” said Arthur as he pulled her shift over her head, stripped off his own clothes, then covered her body with his. 

She tangled her fingers into his hair, gasping as he took one nipple into his mouth. Under his touch, she wriggled, biting down on her giggles when Arthur’s fingers ghosted along her waist, before slipping between her legs. She loved him but neither of them would be happy together. Arthur’s teeth scrapped against her nipple, sending shafts of desires shooting through her. 

“Arthur, please.”

“On your front,” he groaned, lifting himself from her and helping her turn over. His lips touched her shoulder as he dragged on hand down her back. “You’re perfect.”

She moaned his name, pushing her ass up against him. His hands gripped her hips and he positioned himself. She begged again, and he finally slid slowly into her.

It was perfect. 

Tears stung her eyes and she squeezed them shut, thankful that Arthur couldn’t see them. Later, Arthur gathered her into his arms, kissed her once again, then promptly fell asleep. She watched him sleep, trying to commit him to memory. It was unfair to let Arthur keep thinking they had a future together. As she ran one finger down his cheek, she made the decision to keep a distance from Arthur from tomorrow onwards.


	20. Chapter 20

Morning brought with her a flurry of activities as the Camelot navy got ready to sail off. Gwaine and Lancelot had worked overnight to ready the ships and now, final checks were being done before they set sail. From his vantage point at the docks, Arthur watched as his men boarded the ships under the instructions of the various Captains. His eyes moved to his own ship, The Grail. The custom designed ship of the line towered over the rest of the ships, both in size and in craftsmanship. He hadn't taken her out since being stripped of his post in the navy, allowing Gwaine to lead the navy with his ship, The Hawk.

A hand landed on his shoulder. "Think we'll return alive?"

Arthur turned to see Gwaine next to him, his eyes focused on The Hawk. "That is the plan."

"The plan," said Gwaine with a wry twist of his mouth, "is incredibly vague and seems to be mainly, magic, magic, magic."

"Hours of early morning discussion and all you got from it is magic?"

"How sure are you that we can trust Merlin?”

“He’s loyal to Gwen and we can trust her.” Arthur looked back out at The Grail. He could see Percy directing the deckhands. He imagined that Elena would be at the gunwalls, checking out The Grail’s artillery.

“For all we know, Merlin could be in league with whoever is working with Cenred.”

Finally, he saw Gwen, all decked out in her pirate gear - her hair tightly braided, her fitting white shirt tucked neatly into her dark pants and her cutlass hanging from her side. She looked every inch the ferocious pirate captain he had met on Gwaine’s ship that fateful day.

“He isn’t,” said Arthur, keeping his eye on Gwen who was now in conversation with Percy. “If you know Merlin, you’d know that he would never work with them. They are good people.”

“You know, when you decided that we would simply warn the druids that Uther didn’t look kindly upon them docked near Camelot waters, that we wouldn’t attack them like your father ordered, I supported you. Then, you got stripped of your position in the navy and we all got thrown into the cellars and made to do physical labour for a week.”

“And later, father made you Commander.” Arthur tore his gaze from Gwen to look at Gwaine. “What is your point? My father has made his disapproval clear enough but he doesn’t have a better plan. And frankly, if we fail, I don’t think we’ll return alive to have to worry about any punishment.”

Gwaine rolled his eyes. “My point is that even when you’re a fool, I have your back. We’re sailing to our deaths, no matter what your pirates think.”

“Maybe I am a fool, but it beats sitting here and waiting for whatever it is to sweep across Albion.”

“At least can said we tried,” said Gwaine. He slapped Arthur’s back. “Let’s get going then. I’ll see you at Nemeth’s hopefully undestroyed port.”

With those words, Gwaine walked to his ship and climbed on. Gwen was still on the deck, but now with both Percy and Elena. He imagined they were discussing The Grail and a sudden desire that Gwen love the ship as much as he did swamped him.

“I thought you looked familiar, my lord.”

Swinging around, Arthur saw the merchant from Mercia, loaded with goods, probably on his way to set up his stall in the Camelot town.

“Thought you might have been a knight, but it seems like you’re the crown prince. I still have the clip for sale.” The merchant opened his palm to produce the tortoiseshell clip that Gwen had admired. “Perhaps you would like to buy it for your mistress.”

“She’s not my mistress.”

The merchant shrugged. “She’s not exactly a princess. The clip? Just three gold pieces.”

“Two,” said Arthur. He would have paid three but the merchant didn’t deserve it after insulting Gwen. He knew he was still paying far above the asking price, anyway.

“Of course, my lord.”

 

* * *

 

With the ocean breeze in her hair, the roll of the ship under her feet and conversation about riggings and navigation around her, the tension that she didn’t even realise she’d been carrying in her since their landing in Camelot. It might not be the Excalibur but Arthur’s ship felt enough like home to her. Elena and Percy had spent most of the morning familiarizing themselves with the ship. Arthur might have his own men to crew the ship, men who Gwen was sure were capable enough, but it made her feel better to know that Percy and Elena could handle the ship as well. Merlin, Mordred and Morgana were still holed up somewhere working on their magic and the lack of explosions assured Gwen that nothing had gotten out of hand yet.

Once Arthur boarded the ship and did some checks, they set off. For the first hour or so, Arthur had been busy with his crew and it was easy enough for Gwen to avoid him, making hasty excuses every time they met on the ship and dodging his touches. But as large as The Grail was, she knew she couldn’t avoid him forever.

“We should be leaving Camelot waters in a couple of days.” Elena joined her on the poop deck and rested her forearms on the railings. “I know I wanted an adventure but I definitely didn’t expect it to be such a huge adventure. I never thought I would be sailing with the Camelot navy.”

Gwen smiled. “Neither did I. Was it just four months ago that we were just sailing the ocean, minding our own business? Things have changed so much.”

"If we survive this, things will change even more.”

“No,” said Gwen. “Once this is over, we’ll take the ship that is owed to us and leave Camelot. There is no reason for us ever to set foot here again.”

Elena straightened. “Arthur? What did that bastard do –“

“He didn’t do anything. But you’re right. It doesn’t matter how we feel about each other, we have no future together.”

Silently, Elena drew Gwen into a hug. Then, she swore and stepped away.

“What is it?”

Her spyglass at her eye, Elena stared out into the endless ocean, a frown on her face. “Have a look. Over there.”

Ships. A whole fleet of ships sailing towards them.

“Inform the rest of the crew. I am going to look for Arthur.” Tossing the spyglass back to Elena, Gwen hurried below deck. They had banked on Essetir moving along the route they were taking but if those ships were from Essetir, then they had decided to come straight for Camelot.

She was walking down the step when an arm wrapped around her and a familiar touch brushed her ear. “Looking for me?”

Gwen opened her eyes, but before she could say anything, Arthur had covered her mouth with his, his tongue sliding against her lips. For a moment, she sank into his kiss and embrace, greedily taking whatever he offered.

“Arthur, we need to talk.”

“We have some time before –“

“We don’t!” She pulled away from Arthur, stumbling against the stairs, only to be pulled back into Arthur’s hold. “We don’t have time.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Essetir ships.”

Immediately, Arthur dropped his hands from her, swearing softly. “You saw them?”

“Elena did. They are heading to Camelot. They must have skipped Lothrein and Nemeth to come directly here.”

Arthur swore again, then suddenly, pressed a kissed to her forehead. “Go tell the magical trio. Get them on deck.”

“Arthur –“

But he had disappeared up the steps. Pushing away the anxiety that churned in her stomach, Gwen ran to the cabin where Merlin and the others were. Seeing how the three of them had been getting along before, Gwen was slightly surprised at the lack of shouting. Hoping they hadn’t killed each other, Gwen cautiously pushed open the door and peered inside.

Mordred sat curled up in a corner, his eyes closed while Merlin and Morgana stood in another corner, whispering heatedly. It could only be about Mordred, seeing the way their eyes kept darting to him, and it didn’t look like it was good news.

“Change of plans. Essetir’s ships are on their way here.”

“What are Arthur’s instructions?” Morgana moved towards her.

“He wants you all on deck.”

“I’m not going,” muttered Mordred, his eyes still closed. “I’m useless anyway.”

“Fine,” said Morgana. “Do whatever you want.”

Gwen looked at Merlin, who shrugged and walked out of the cabin behind Morgana.

“Come on, Mordred. Arthur would want you there.”

Mordred seemed to curl himself into a tighter ball. “There’s no point. I can’t do anything. I’ve done everything the two of them asked and my magic is still useless.”

Gwen’s first thought was to leave him in the cabin, but one look at his face and her heart ached for him. “Even if you don’t master magic, there’s still a lot of things you can do. Arthur believes in you and he would be disappointed if you don’t get up on the deck.”

Mordred lifted his head to look at her and she smiled. A pout formed but he stood and dusted off his trousers. “Alright, but don’t expect me to be able to do anything.”

By the time Gwen and Mordred were on the deck, all the crew were listening to Arthur as he passed out orders and instructions.

“Merlin and Morgana, I need you on the gunwalls, in case offensive magic is needed. The ships won’t be within firing distance for some time but anything you can do to slow their progress would be helpful. Elena, check the cannons and ammunitions. Percy, raise the flag to call the other ships.”

Arthur looked at Mordred, then, as if he knew how Mordred was feeling, he placed a hand on Mordred’s shoulder and squeezed. “I want you to stay with me, in case I have other things that need doing.”

That was enough to lift Mordred’s spirits and he nodded.

Then, Arthur looked at Gwen. “I guess the fight is coming to us, sooner than we expected.”

“At least Lothrien and Nemeth should escape this battle,” said Gwen. “They must be very confident to be sailing towards Camelot.”

“Yes, and that worries me.”

Gwen bit her lip, then ignoring her decision to keep a distance from Arthur, moved towards him. Immediately, his arms went around her and they stood, for a while, on the deck, watching the small specks on the ocean in front of them.

 

* * *

 

Gwen stood beside Arthur as he watched the Essetir fleet through his spyglass. He’d briefed Gwaine and the other captains on the change in plans just moments before. An all-out naval battle would only mean casualties on both sides and a drawn out encounter. Arthur had sent sloops back to relay the change in tactics.

He scoffed, then passed the spyglass to Gwen.

“You can tell that Essetir is landlocked. There appears to be no formation or strategy to how they are sailing. We have superior firepower. There is no way they will defeat us.”

“That’s because they have magic. They don’t need firepower or strategy,” said Morgana.

“It’s a good thing that we have magic too, then. Magic and a pet dragon.” Arthur leaned over to look at Merlin. “Kilgarrah will help us, won’t he?”

Merlin nodded. “He’ll provide some firepower while at the same time, helping Gwen and I to sneak into the main boat.”

“I still don’t like that plan,” said Arthur.

“We are perfectly capable of looking after ourselves.”

Arthur frowned at her. “If you were going to raid a normal ship, I would agree but this is not a normal ship. I should go with you two.”

“And who will captain your ship if you leave her?” asked Gwen. “Arthur, I appreciate that you are worried but Merlin and I will be fine.”

“Take someone else, at least. Percy?”

Gwen sighed. “I don’t need your overblown sense of protectiveness. Merlin and I will be fine. We will slip onto the ship, get the crystal then get back here.”

“There are so many ways that this can go wrong,” muttered Arthur.

“I agree with Arthur. You should bring someone else, just in case.” Morgana drummed her long fingers against the railing. “Lancelot is a good choice. He’s very good with a sword and he strikes me as one of those people with too much honour. Those are the best kind to bring for support.”

“It would be good to have someone else look out for us,” said Merlin.

Gwen glared at Merlin. Sure, it might be good to have an extra pair of hands, but Lancelot? She didn’t have feelings for him anymore, but that didn’t mean being around him was particularly comfortable. Then she caught Arthur’s eyes and realized that he was as unhappy about Lancelot going with them as her.

“We could take Percy with us,” said Gwen.

“That’s settled then.” said Arthur. “Take Percy.”

Morgana shot Arthur a look. “Well, we don’t have much time so I guess we should go practice with Mordred.”

“I think Mordred could do with a break,” said Arthur. “It’s been a little overwhelming for him.”

“He lacks discipline,” said Morgana. “But fine. It’s not like he’s going to improve overnight. What about you, Merlin. Do you want to practice?”

Merlin shook his head. “Arthur is right. It has been pretty intensive. It might be best for all of us to rest up before tomorrow when the ships reach us.”

Morgana tossed her head and sniffed. “If you say so.”

Gwen turned to go as well but Arthur caught her hand. “Stay with me for a while.”

“I should go and –“

“We’ve done all we can for today.” With a slight tug, he pulled Gwen into his hold. “And I feel like I haven’t seen you much since last night.”

Gwen's mind raced. She should come clean with Arthur, tell him about her doubts and uncertainties. But having such a conversation before the eve of a huge battle seemed ill-timed. What were her own feelings in comparison to a war that might decide the fate of Albion? She felt his hands on her face, pushing the strands of hair that had escaped from her braid away.

“Are you going to tell me what is wrong?”

Loud singing and chatter interrupted them, a sign that a group of people were coming on deck, probably to enjoy their last afternoon before the battle.

“Come on.” Still holding on to her hand, Arthur led her to his cabin and closed the door behind them. He leaned against the door and let go of her hand. There was a question in his eyes, most likely the same one that he’d asked earlier.

She moved further into his cabin and ran her hand along the heavy oak that lined it. The Grail was a magnificent ship, handcrafted with no detail overlooked. It was a ship that she could only dream of owning and a ship that symbolized the gap between her and Arthur.

"What do you think of The Grail?”

“She’s gorgeous. Has she been in many battles?”

Arthur’s smile was full of pride. “A few. She’s always come out tops.”

“I’m not surprised. She’s steady and packs a mean firepower. Few ships will be able to stand up to her. Not even the Excalibur.”

His smile faded and he walked towards her. “I’m sorry you lost Excalibur.”

She shrugged and mustered up a smile, even as thoughts of Excalibur tore at her heart. “Nothing lasts forever.”

He kept his eyes on her, a slight frown on his face. “I feel like you are telling me something.”

Unsure of what to say, Gwen looked at the wooden floorboards under her feet.

“You’re not staying.” Arthur’s voice was flat.

She looked up and willed herself to remain calm. “I thought I could, but I don’t belong in Camelot.”

“Was it my father? Because I don’t care –“

He took a step towards her and she reached out a hand, placing it on his chest, stopping him from advancing closer to her. Under her hand, she could feel the slow beat of his heart and the warmth of his skin. Arthur covered her hand with his.

“It’s not just your father. I am a pirate. I have always been a pirate. I live on a ship. I love living on a ship. I am not Mithian or Morgana.”

“I don’t want Mithian or Morgana. I want you.” He sucked in a breath. “I don’t want you to become Mithian or Morgana.”

“We must be realistic. How we feel about each other isn’t enough. I can’t be the kind of partner you need as Prince much less King.”

Arthur dropped his hand and stepped away, dragging a hand through his hair. “Tomorrow, we’re going to be embroiled in a war involving magic that supposedly would determine the fate of Albion. I have no idea if we are going to survive this. If tonight is all we have, I don’t want to be realistic. Maybe you’re right. Maybe you’ll be miserable in Camelot. Maybe you won’t but today? Today, I want to be with you. I want to hold you in my arms and pretend that the world is perfect. You make me happy, Gwen, and I want a bit of that tonight.”

In the face of Arthur’s words, Gwen found herself speechless.

“Unless you don’t feel the same way about me.” He moved closer, and cupped her face, drawing her to him. “Tell me you don’t care about me, that you don’t want me.”

Gwen closed the gap and kissed him. Immediately, he groaned and gathered her closer, pressing her to him.

“When this is over, we will talk and we will work something out.” He nipped her earlobe. “Because we are not losing this.”

She wished she was as confident as Arthur that they had a future, but he was right. Tonight, he needed her and she needed him. Tilting her head back, she hummed in pleasure as he suckled her neck, his hands already at the buttons of her shirt.

“Wait.” Gwen might have whined a little when Arthur pulled away. He walked to the dresser and opened it. “I got this for you.”

When he opened his hand, Gwen saw the tortoiseshell clip that she’d admired back in Mercia. That he had remembered and that he had somehow bought it for her made her heart swell.

Arthur shrugged and his cheeks flushed. “It’s not much. When things settle down, I’ll get you something more valuable but –“

At his nerves, Gwen laughed and touched his cheek gently. “It’s perfect.”

“It is?” His confidence was back and he leaned down to nibble at her lips. The touch was light but it ignited a fire in her and she pressed her hips to him.

Opening her mouth to deepen the kiss, Gwen tugged at his shirt, pulling it from his pants, then pushing it up until they had to stop kissing so she could strip him.

“Trousers,” she panted.

“Bossy,” he murmured as he willingly removed them. “Now, your turn.”

 

* * *

 

Arthur thought he would never get used to being in Gwen, her long legs wrapped tightly around his hips, her heels digging into his ass as she, with breathy moans and gasps, urged him on. He was trying to kiss her but control was a limited resource. Not that Gwen seemed to mind that his kisses were sloppy and barely on target. She had one hand fisted in his hair and the other had snuck in between them. One day, he thought hazily as he thrust again, he was going to ask Gwen to pleasure herself for his eyes. The image of Gwen on his bed, legs spread as she slid a finger, maybe more, into her wet heat while her other hand would be playing with her breast, sent his lust spiraling higher.

“Arthur.” Her fingernails dug into his head. “Arthur.”

She pulsed around him, squeezing.

Dropping his head to her shoulder, he let his teeth graze the soft, warm skin as he surged forward one last time.

He sank onto her, relishing the kisses she pressed against him as her arms held him. His heartbeat began to slow and he eased himself from her, moving to the side and tucking her into his embrace.

Gwen pressed her face into his chest and he tightened his hold. Soon, her breathing evened out. With one hand, he played with her curls. Her words returned to him, her doubts of their future, her worry about living in Camelot and a coldness entered his heart. She was right. She wasn’t Morgana or Mithian. She hadn’t been born into a life of rules and protocol and obligations. Staying in Camelot with him would mean giving up the freedom she had as a pirate.

Arthur wasn’t sure he was worth it.


	21. Chapter 21

Gwen, Arthur, Elena and Merlin stood at the railings and watched as the Essetir fleet slowly approached. Shifting with the movement of the ship, Gwen slipped her hand into Arthur’s, drawing his attention to her. Affection shone from his eyes and he squeezed her hand. Earlier, Arthur had gathered his crew and knights and spoke to them, reminding them of their duty to Camelot, speaking of a peaceful future for their families and as his men nodded and cheered, Gwen knew that Arthur was right. He was born to lead.

“You, Merlin and Percy should get ready. I’ve a row boat ready to be dropped into the sea.” Arthur’s thumb rubbed across the back of her hand. “Then, it’s up to the three of you to get the crystal.”

Gwen nodded. “And you’ll hold fort here.”

“I will.”

“They will be within firing distance very soon. Let’s get going,” Elena pushed herself away from the railings and stalked to the gunwalls. “Positions!” she yelled.

“She’s in her element,” said Arthur.

Gwen watched Elena and smiled. “She’s the best.”

“Say your goodbyes,” said Merlin brusquely as he brushed past them. “We have to get moving.”

Arthur looked at Merlin. “Not in a good mood, is he?”

“In his words, he has had to work with a spoiled princess and a sullen brat. It hasn’t been fun.”

A grin spread across Arthur’s face. “Don’t let Morgana hear you call her a spoiled princess.”

Elena’s voice carried across the ship. “Get ready! Fire on my signal! And only on my signal!”

Gwen’s stomach clenched. She wasn’t Elena who relished being in the middle of battle, especially not a battle that was so large or important. Ironic, Gwen knew, for someone who spent the last three years trading on her reputation to survive.

“We have to go.”

“Take care,” said Arthur. Then, with a jerk, he bent and kissed her cheek. “We have a lot to talk about so make sure you come back.”

“You too.”

Loud explosions signaled the start of the battle and with one last look at Arthur, Gwen, hand on her cutlass, dashed to where the row boat would be. Percy was lowering the boat as Merlin looked on, a frown on his face.

“You ready?” Merlin asked when she stopped next to him.

Gwen nodded. “Are you? And Kilgarrah?”

“I hope so,” said Merlin.

Gwen lifted her eyes to the sky but there was no sign of the dragon. Kilgarrah had never let Merlin down before, so Gwen hoped that he wasn’t about to start now. Another volley of shots rocked the boat and Gwen spread her legs to steady herself and looked over to where Elena stood. Arthur had joined her and they both were looking out into the ocean at the small but growing dark mass that was moving towards them.

“Captain,” said Percy as he gestured to the small boat bobbing on the water. “Let’s go.”

Arthur turned back and their gazes caught. She raised a hand and he nodded, then Percy, with one hand on her back, was urging her to climb into the boat.

They moved away from The Grail, taking a slightly longer detour, to where the Essetir ships had docked. All around them, Gwen could hear the sounds of war – canon blasts, yelled orders and the general chaos.

“Morgana’s shields aren’t strong enough,” muttered Merlin. “Inexperience and too many ships.”

Gwen turned to look and sure enough, although much of Essetir’s fire was being repelled, some ships had been hit.

“They’ll survive,” said Percy. “At least The Grail and The Hawk will. Merlin, some help with the rowing?”

“Brace yourselves.” Raising his arm, Merlin said a spell and the boat started moving faster.

* * *

 

Maneuvering the boat towards the Essetir fleet was a lot easier than Gwen expected, so much so that they didn’t even need Kilgarrah’s help. The fires blazing from where they came from worried Gwen. Arthur and everyone else had done a great job keeping the Essetir’s attention on them but it looked like the consequence were heavy.

Gwen pushed away her worries and concentrated on scaling the main ship, where they hoped that Cenred, the woman and the crystal would be. Percy had already made it up and was keeping watch. In front of her, Merlin demonstrated his complete lack of coordination and strength. With a sigh, Gwen gave his bony backside a shove, helping to propel him over the railings. Just as Gwen dropped onto the deck, an explosion sent large waves crashing on to them. Pushing stray wet strands of hair out of her face, Gwen grabbed Merlin’s hand and, crouched over, they ducked and weaved past crates and cannons.

“Crew,” said Percy. “Skeleton crew!”

Immediately, Merlin stunned them. Gingerly, Gwen stepped over yet another crumpled pile of bones, only to notice that another skeleton Merlin had dealt with earlier had – well – recovered and was lunging towards them. Instinctively, she swung and landed a hard blow against the skeleton which immediately collapsed.

They had a few moments before the skeleton came alive again. Percy battled a few more skeletons with Merlin’s help as Gwen scanned the ship. “Come on! I see the steps down ahead.”

The ship rocked under more attacks as the three of them hurried down the steps. A cabin door stood ajar and a quick peek suggested that it was empty. They darted inside, shut the door, and finally Gwen took a deep, shuddering breath. If all the ships were crewed by magic skeletons, it meant that the ships needed to be thoroughly destroyed.

“Did you notice if the woman was on the deck?”

“I don’t think so. I didn’t recognize her. They are using magic up there but nothing as strong as the one I sensed in her,” said Merlin. “I suppose she might be in one of these cabins.”

“I hope so,” said Percy quietly. “The quicker we find the crystal, the quicker we can get Kilgarrah to put an end to this battle.”

Percy’s expression remained neutral but Gwen was certain he was feeling as anxious as she was about the others.

“I am not sure how long the invisibility spell will last for,” said Merlin. “Ready?”

“Just do it, Merlin.”

It started out like a tingle in her toes. Gwen had watched Merlin play with his magic before but she’d never been the recipient of his magic before. The tingle spread upwards, making Gwen giggle at the sensation. When Merlin stopped muttering and dropped his arm, Gwen looked down, and saw nothing. She looked around the cabin and both Percy and Merlin were nowhere to be seen.

“Wow,” said Percy.

“Yeah,” said Gwen.

“Let’s go. Split up or together?”

The cabin door slowly swung open, making Gwen tense for a moment, only to realise that it was Merlin who had opened it.

"Together,” said Gwen. “Just in case. We need to hold hands.”

“Right,” said Percy, and the three of them shuffled around trying to do just that. Gwen smacked into Percy’s hard chest, then managed to elbow Merlin in the stomach, but finally, with hushed instructions and trial and error, they held hands.

“Should have done this before turning us invisible,” said Gwen.

A handful of skeletons jogged past them, towards the stairs. A few humans followed, but neither group noticed the three of them, allowing Gwen to breathe easier as they made their way through the ship.

“I can feel magic,” Merlin stopped suddenly, causing Gwen to slam into his back. “Follow me.” 

* * *

  

Arthur was a bundle of nerves, frustration, fear and anger and he was showing it, stalking across the deck and screaming at the crew. Elena had finally snapped, shoved him and told him, captain of the ship or not, he needed to stop interfering as she managed the guns.

“I can’t keep this up for much longer without help,” yelled Morgana from across the ship. “Where is Mordred?”

That was the other problem. Mordred and Morgana were supposed to shield the ships from the attacks but Mordred had tried once, failed then stormed off. With the attacks starting, Arthur had let Mordred leave but the strain on Morgana’s face, the sweat that made her usually perfect hair stick to her, made it clear that Arthur needed to find Mordred and convince him to try again. They had to maintain Essetir’s attention on them until Kilgarrah turned up, signaling that Merlin was in possession of the crystal.

The ship lurched as the Essetir ships launched another attack. He had to get to Mordred fast.

It took a while, but Arthur finally found Mordred sitting in his cabin.

“Come on. You need to try again.”

Mordred swung one leg, making contact with a chair, sending it across the narrow cabin. “There’s no point.”

“Look, there is no time. You need to suck it up, get your butt on deck and use your magic.”

Mordred lifted his head, anger flashing in his eyes. “I told you, I can’t do it!”

Whatever response Arthur expected, it was not being flung across the cabin and slammed into the wall. He slid to the ground, pain radiating through his whole body.

“Arthur! I didn’t mean to – are you alright?” Mordred rushed to his side, the anger in his eyes replaced by concern and fear.

Arthur took a few deep breaths. “Seems to me that you’re perfectly capable of using your magic.”

“Not all the time.” Mordred turned his face away. “Not when it’s useful.”

“Mordred. Your anger.” His chest still hurt. “It’s what helps you use your magic. Think about how Essetir is trying to destroy Albion, about how they hurt Gwen and Merlin, about how they give magic a bad name. Use your anger and focus it against them.”

Mordred stood. “I don’t know –“

Arthur grabbed Mordred’s arm, and yanked him back down. “I don’t need this right now. Gwen, Merlin and Percy are out there risking their lives for us. Get up there and do what you need to do.”

“But –“

“Do it! For me. For everything I’ve done for you. I don’t want to threaten you -” He gave Mordred a shove and the boy stumbled out of the cabin, leaving Arthur on the floor, head resting against a wall with his eyes closed. He hoped Mordred would be able to use his magic. He hoped that Gwen, Merlin and Percy were fine in the ship. He hoped that he hadn’t led his navy to their death for no reason. His stomach clenched and his throat tightened.

He couldn’t remain here forever. Sucking in a few deep breaths to calm himself, Arthur pushed off the floor just as another volley of attacks hit his ship. As he climbed to the deck, he noticed one of his ships on fire. The dark pit in his stomach opened up wider. Then, he saw Mordred, his arm raised, his eyes squeezed closed. Morgana, on the other hand, stood next to him, obviously not doing any magic.

“Did he manage to -?”

“On the fourth try,” said Morgana. “His shields are weaker but it’s better than nothing.”

“How much rest do you need?”

“Before I can do this again? Half an hour? I’m not really sure.”

Arthur nodded and rubbed Morgana’s back. “Don’t wear yourself out. I don’t know how long they will take to get the crystal.”

He looked over at the Essetir fleet. Someone had announced that the row boat had been seen empty so they must be on the ship already. Yet another volley of shots of rocked his ship and he turned back to Morgana.

“Keep at it. We need to hold out a little more.” 

* * *

 

 

The crystal sat on the table, glowing blue. It hadn’t been difficult to find, not when Merlin could sense the magic coming from it. Skeletons and the occasional human had walked past them, but they had pressed themselves against the walls to avoid contact, and the walk to the room that held the crystal was deceivingly easy.

Deceiving because just as Gwen was about to step into the room, there was that tingling feeling again and when Gwen saw Percy’s arm appear in front of her, dread pooled in her stomach.

“I knew you would come for the crystal,” said the woman as she stepped out from behind a screen. “And it was easy to sense his magic to track you all.”

Someone pushed her, and as she stumbled aside, a flash of light blinded her. Blinking, Gwen scrambled up from where she had fallen, to see Merlin and the woman facing each other, both their arms raised.

She had no idea what the two of them were doing but the tremble in their outstretched arms and the concentration on their faces suggested that they were locked in some sort of magic battle.

Gwen drew her cutlass but Percy was already armed and rushing towards Merlin and the woman. But before he could do anything, he flew backwards into a wardrobe, crashing so hard on it that the door broke.

"Percy!”

"Get out of here!” Sweat poured down Merlin’s face. “Get out!”

“Yes,” said the woman. “Get out. It’s him that I want.”

She shifted, lifting her other hand and Merlin yelled and crumpled into a heap. Gwen moved towards him, wanting to do something, anything to help even if she didn’t quite understand what was going on. Her cutlass flew out of her hand, then Percy was holding her.

“We have to leave.”

“No! I am not leaving –“

“Gwen!” Percy dropped his voice. “Grab the crystal and run. I’ll stay with Merlin.”

Gwen looked back at the woman and Merlin, who was standing again, warily regarding each other.

“You will destroy the world with Dark Magic,” said Merlin.

The woman’s laugh was cold. “I will be all-powerful. A dead world is a small price to pay.”

Then she lifted her arm again, sending what appeared to be lighting towards Merlin. Percy yanked Gwen behind a chair, as Merlin retaliated. Her eyes landed on the blue crystal again. Without it, Essetir and this woman wouldn’t be so powerful.

“Go!” said Merlin again.

Gwen looked at Percy. Kilgarrah had said that Merlin, Morgana and Mordred were needed to deal with the crystal. That meant that it was Merlin and the crystal that needed to escape.

At her nod, Percy moved from behind the chair. “Hey!”

Gwen darted out towards the crystal and took it.

Immediately, the woman turned her attention to Gwen. Pain shot through her leg and she had to lean heavily against the table to stop herself from falling. Merlin aimed a shot at the woman but she blocked it easily.

“You’re not getting the crystal,” sneered the woman as she sent more pain rolling through Gwen. “Drop it or I’ll kill you here.”

“Fine,” said Gwen. Percy tackled the woman. Gwen tossed the crystal to Merlin.

“Gwen,” said Merlin.

Gwen shook her head. “Go!”

Just as the woman stood, Merlin darted out of the cabin with the crystal.

The woman raised her arm again. “You will regret doing this very much.”

From where Gwen stood, clutching the table, she could see Percy lying unmoving on the ground. Gwen lifted her head and stared at the woman, even as the cold fingers of fear wrapped tightly around her heart.


	22. Chapter 22

Arthur had just sent the last of the supporting ships back, leaving just The Hawk and The Grail. Morgana and Mordred were exhausted and they were soon running out of ammunition. Thick smoke was pouring from the stern of The Hawk and while Gwaine’s men had managed to deal with the fire, Arthur was unsure how long the two ships would be able to hold out. His own ship listed as a result of the damage sustained in the battle.

Elena directed another volley of shots at the Essetir ships, then they braced for retaliation.

“Look!”

Swiping the sweat from his forehead, Arthur passed the iron shot he was holding to his crew and looked up into the sky. Hope poked out from the layers of fear and anxiety that wrapped around his heart as he squinted into the sun. It was a small, black dot at first, but slowly, it got larger and larger and Arthur was pretty sure he was watching Merlin’s pet dragon in action.

“Hang on to something!” Arthur yelled at his crew as he grabbed on to the railings, just in time for Kilgarrah to swoop past The Grail, sending it tossing in the ocean, towards the Essetir fleet. From where he stood, Arthur watched as Kilgarrah let loose a terrifyingly large blast of fire at the Essetir ships. Even from the distance, Arthur could feel the heat from the flames that engulfed the Essetir ships.

“Kilgarrah,” sighed Elena as she leaned against the railings next to Arthur. “Isn’t he amazing?”

“He certainly is,” said Arthur as he tracked Kilgarrah, who had unleashed yet another blast at the ships, leaving almost all of them burning. The hope that had been building in Arthur soared together with Kilgarrah as he made one more sweep across the main ship, hovering for a moment, then making a sharp turn to fly upwards into the sun.

“He must have just picked up the three of them.”

Arthur’s fingers tightened on the railings as the rest of him sagged with relief. “Yes,” he said, still staring into the sun. “It’s over.”

“It’s over,” repeated Elena. She rubbed her face, then let out a long sigh, slumping against the rails. “We did it. I don’t know how, but we did.”

“Was that Kilgarrah?” Mordred walked unsteadily towards them, exhaustion stark on his face.

Arthur snorted. “How many dragons do you know?”

“So that means we succeeded?”

“It seems that way. Elena, launch one more attack at Essetir. If they don’t retaliate, we can consider it a victory. Then, help put out the fires and do some basic repairs. We can rest a while before we head to Nemeth to pick Merlin, Gwen and Percy up.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” said Elena. Pushing herself from the rails, she made her way back to the gundeck, nodding at an approaching Morgana.

Arthur turned to Mordred who was now sitting on the deck, hunched over. His face was pale and his body shook, from the cold, sea wind or nerves, Arthur couldn’t be sure. Knees pulled to his chest, Mordred looked like the little boy he was, not the magic wielder he was just moments ago. Arthur moved to sit next to him, bumping Mordred’s shoulder with his.

“You did well.”

A shudder ran through Mordred and he buried his face into his knees.

“What’s wrong?”

A tapping foot made Arthur look up at Morgana. “He used dark magic,” said Morgana with a shake of her head. “But it’s not his fault. Not completely. I mean, if he had been more willing to prac -”

“You’re being very comforting, Morgana.”

Morgana’s cool gaze pinned him, before she shrugged. “Merlin was pretty clear about not using dark magic.”

“It was either that or have us blasted to pieces. I’m sure Merlin will understand.” Arthur stretched out his legs and settled more comfortably next to Mordred.

Mordred lifted his head. “I didn’t mean to. If I didn’t use my anger, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.”

“True.” Clearly too prim to sit on the deck, Morgana dragged a crate over and perched delicately on it. “I must admit that I didn’t expect us to succeed so easily.”

“Well, I was in charge.”

The snort from Morgana was very unladylike and Arthur told her so, earning himself a smack on the head. He retaliated by shoving her lightly.

“What happens next?” Mordred asked.

“We sail to Nemeth, pick them up, figure out what to do with the crystal and then return home as heroes.” Arthur grinned, his mood getting progressively better. “I cannot wait to see my father’s face.”

“Are you planning to marry the pirate?”

His grin dropped and Arthur scowled at Morgana. “Her name is Gwen and if it all works out, yes. Probably.”

“Father will never allow that. He’ll throw her into the dungeons. No,” said Morgana, “he’ll throw the both of you into the dungeons.”

“I think that he’ll have his hands full dealing with the fact that his beloved ward has magic.”

This time, it was Morgana’s turn to scowl. “I don’t see why he has to know.”

“What will he do to me?” Mordred asked.

“Nothing,” said Arthur. “He won’t do anything to you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, dear brother.”

“I know father can be a stubborn fool, but after this, surely he’ll realise that magic is not the enemy. And as for Gwen, I’ll work something out.”

Elena walked to them and sat down next to Arthur. “The fires are out and I signalled The Hawk. Gwaine should be coming on board soon. And, I got this out of the hold.” From behind her back, Elena produced a jug of mead. “I thought we all deserved to celebrate.”

“Brilliant idea,” said Morgana as her long fingers reached for the jug.

“Don’t drink it all. You know how you get when you’re drunk.” Arthur smirked.

Elena leaned forward. “Oh, how does the princess get when she’s drunk?”

“I will use my magic on you.” Morgana eyes narrowed. “Don’t think I wouldn’t.”

The thud of the gangplank being lowered and footsteps signalled the arrival of Gwaine and Lancelot.

“How’s your ship?”

“Could be better,” said Gwaine as he took the jug from Mordred. “Aren’t you a bit young to be drinking? You need to take better care of your subjects, Arthur.”

“He deserves it after all he did.”

Lancelot, like Morgana, dragged over another crate. Too prissy to sit on the ground, thought Arthur uncharitably. “So, all is well?” Lancelot asked. “We’ve stopped Essetir?”

“I believe so.” Taking the jug from Gwaine, Arthur took a gulp.

“And Gwen?”

“She should be fine,” said Arthur. “Like Merlin and Percy.”

Lancelot nodded, then shook his head when Arthur offered him the mead. Of course, he didn’t drink. Arthur took another mouthful before Elena grabbed it.

“There’s more in the hold.” She stood. “I’ll go get it.”

“Thank you,” said Morgana. “We should celebrate our success.”

“Definitely,” said Arthur.

By the time night fell, only Arthur was left on the main deck. Gwaine and Lancelot had returned to The Hawk while the others had retired to their cabins. He leaned against the side of his ship and looked up into the night sky with its twinkling stars. The thought that Gwen was probably in Nemeth looking up the stars made him smile. Now that this threat was behind him, all that remained was what would happen to the both of them. Selfishly, he wanted Gwen to stay in Camelot with him, but he knew it wouldn’t be easy for her. If she didn’t want to stay in Camelot, then he would have to leave with her. Just thinking about leaving Camelot, if not for good, at least for several years, made his heart ache. He pushed the thoughts away. There was no hurry to make these decisions. They still had the crystal to deal with and he would insist that Gwen and her crew stay in Camelot for a while - to celebrate and recuperate - and maybe in that time, they would find a solution, a way to stay together.

“I love you,” he said to the stars, then feeling foolish, he took a drink of mead, then made his way down into his cabin. Nemeth was not that far and by the day after, Arthur would see Gwen again.

He couldn’t wait, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face and dreams of Gwen laughing in his mind.

* * *

 

The binds were invisible but Gwen couldn’t move her arms or her legs. Percy lay motionless on the ground next to her and from her angle, she couldn’t tell if he was still breathing. Please let him be alright, Gwen thought. Elena would never forgive her if anything happened to Percy.

“A dragon,” spat Morgause. Did all magic users have names that started with M? Her head hurting, Gwen struggled to keep her attention on the woman glaring angrily at her. “How did you tame a dragon?”

“Even a dragon knows you’re evil,” said Gwen. “Your crystal is gone and the Essetir ships are on fire. You’ve lost.”

Morgause opened her mouth but before she could say anything, the door slammed open and a man who must be Cenred walked in. Before the door opened, the smell of smoke had been present but not overwhelming. Now, it threatened to choke her.

“What happened?” His eyes were wide, almost wild. “That dragon -”

“You’ve lost, Cenred.” Morgause said coldly, as if she hadn’t been a part of his attack on Camelot. She took a step towards Gwen, gripped her arm and yanked. “I’m taking the princess. Why don’t you go try and save your fleet of ship?”

“You promised -”

Even Gwen could see it coming. Morgause raised her arm, sending Cenred flying into a wall. “I have no use for you now. Let’s go.”

“No!” Gwen looked at Percy. She struggled, trying to escape from Morgause’s hold. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Nails dug into her flesh. “Your only value to me is your status within the Camelot kingdom. But if you want to be difficult, then I have no qualms killing you.”

She was bluffing. But was that a risk Gwen wanted to take?

“So what is it, little princess? To die or to come with me?”

Gwen looked at Percy’s immobile form. Cenred had struggled up and was inching his way out of the cabin. Morgause was tightening her grip on her arm. The smoke made Gwen’s head hurt even more and she blinked, not sure if the tears in her eyes were a result of the smoke or the feeling of helplessness that was slowly creeping up on her.

Then, Cenred lunged at Morgana, sword drawn. Gwen took the opportunity to wrench herself from Morgause’s hold and scrambled to where Percy lay. She shook him, lightly at first then with more vigour but he didn’t respond. She leaned down to see if he was breathing.

Pain exploded in her head and it went dark.

* * *

 

Gwen’s head was still pounding and she struggled to open her eyes. Even with her blurred vision, Gwen could tell that they were no longer in the cabin on the ship. A small fire burned some distance from her but it wasn’t enough to ward away the chill. Dampness that seeped into her clothes, making her shiver. Her movement brought her arms in contact with the rough, cold walls of their new location. The binds were still there, restricting her movements. Gwen blinked, trying to adjust to the semi-darkness that surrounded her. In the silence, all she could hear was her own harsh breathing and pounding heart.

Footsteps bounced off the walls and Gwen stilled.

“Is my princess finally awake?”

With a snap of her fingers, Morgause conjured up a small ball of light, revealing that they were hiding out in a cave. Shadows obscured most of Morgause’s features but Gwen was certain she could see the glint of madness in her eyes. Morgause moved forward and knelt down in front of her, her cold fingers grasping Gwen’s chin.

“You’re very hardy for a princess.” Morgause cocked her head. “You better hope that Uther and Arthur loves you as much as I have heard.”

“I’m pretty sure that they have destroyed the crystal by now.”

The grip on her chin tightened. “Having used the crystal, we have a bond. I can feel it. It still exists. And when Camelot discovers that you didn’t escape with Merlin, they will keep it around until they can rescue you.”

Gwen jerked her head away. “Where is Percy?”

“Percy? Oh, you mean your bodyguard?” Morgause shrugged and stood. “He has probably gone down with Cenred’s ship. Get some rest. We’re heading to Camelot tomorrow.”

“Where are we?”

“In a cave, just outside Camelot.” Morgause turned away and without another word, retreated further into the cave.

Gwen let out a sigh, shifted until she leaned against the wall and let her head fall back. Her head hurt, her body ached and she was exhausted. Closing her eyes, she thought of Excalibur and her crew. Perhaps there was some way Percy could escape Cenred’s sinking ship. As pirates, the spectre of death loomed over them constantly, and Gwen had, in some way, been prepared for her own. She squeezed her eyes shut as the image of Percy’s body, just lying among the rubble of the cabin floated into her mind. Her breath hitched and tears burned the back of her eyes as she thought of Elena. She knew very well how much it hurt to be separated from Arthur, how life became dull grey without him.

A part of her wished that she’d never come across Arthur’s ship, never kidnapped him. Then, no matter what war was brewing in Albion, she and her crew would still be sailing the seas happily, sunbathing on the deck and hunting for lost treasure.

But then, she wouldn’t have met Arthur and wouldn’t have all these memories of them together. She remembered him whispering he loved her, remembered how he would hold her after sex snugly against him and remembered how his hand felt in hers when they walked together. Slowly, her memories of Arthur merged with memories of her time on Excalibur. Happy times. Happy times that she would experience again.

No. She wasn’t going to die here. Morgause still thought she was Morgana and they would be meeting up with Merlin and the rest soon enough. It wasn’t hopeless. Her body relaxed and she let sleep take over her.

A kick to her legs woke Gwen up some time later.

“Sun is rising. Let’s go.”

Struggling to her feet, Gwen winced as her sore muscles protested at her movements. “I can’t move if my limbs are bound.”

Morgause regarded her, then raised a hand, releasing the binds on her legs. “Now, move. The crystal is in Nemeth. That’s a two day walk from here.”

“Don’t you have magic to get us there?” asked Gwen. “A witch as powerful as you should know such a spell.”

“Just shut up and walk.”

Gwen let Morgause push her out of the cave. “So basically, without the crystal, you’re quite useless then.”

“I look forward to slowly killing you when I get the crystal.” Another more forceful push sent Gwen stumbling into the forest that surrounded the cave. “Now walk. We have places to get to.”

Silently, Gwen walked, even as her mind churned and her eyes took in her surroundings, looking for the slightest chance of escape.


	23. Chapter 23

He must have heard wrongly, Arthur thought as he scanned the area. Or perhaps, Merlin and Gwen, drunk on success, were pulling his leg. Surely at any moment now, Gwen would emerge from somewhere, maybe a little worse for wear but alive. Perhaps from the back of Kilgarrah who was flying in the distance.

Surely.

“Percy and Gwen are together,” said Elena. “They will be fine.” Her words belied the stricken look in her eyes.

Merlin was hunched over on the deck. “I believe that Morgause -”

Arthur sucked in a breath, trying to ease the burning pain in his chest. He needed air. Why was it so hard to breathe?

“- is holding Gwen until -”

How could Merlin speak so calmly? Arthur lunged at Merlin, knocking him down into a tangle of limbs on the rough deck. “How could you just leave Gwen there? She doesn’t have magic like you do.”

Hands pulled at him, forcing him off Merlin.

“Killing Merlin isn’t going to save Gwen or Percy!” Elena shot a look at Merlin. “I’m sure Merlin did what he did because it was the best choice.” With a hard yank, Elena pulled Merlin to his feet. Her fingers dug into his arm, causing Merlin to wince as he stood. “Didn’t you, Merlin?”

“I had to get the crystal out. With the crystal, Morgause would be undefeatable.” He wrenched his arm from Elena’s grip. Slowly, he opened his fist and lying nestled in his palm was a perfectly round green crystal, which seemed to throb in the sun. “We need to decide what to do with this.”

Stalking, hands balled into fists, to the side of the ship, Arthur stared out into the horizon at Cenred’s burning ships “What we need to do is find Morgause. I doubt she would still be on the ships.”

“We should check anyway,” said Elena.

Huge waves tossed the Grail as Kilgarrah slowly apporached. “If I may, the young captain is still alive and well, taken by the Witch.”

“Where are they?” “What about Percy?”

“The witch and the captain are at the borders of Nemeth. I believe she seeks to return to the Isles of the Blessed. That is where the crystal has to be returned to.”

Elena leaned forward on the rails. “And Percy?”

“He was not with them. I’m sorry.”

She stiffened, her fingers curling tighter around the railings. “No.”

The word was a whisper but it pierced Arthur’s heart. At least he knew Gwen was still alive, but not knowing. That was always the worst. He lifted his arm, wanting to provide a modicum of comfort to Elena, but Merlin reacted first, grabbing her into a hug, a hug which she struggled against, her fists coming down hard on Merlin’s delicate shoulders, until she suddenly sagged.

Arthur tore his eyes from them. He had to harness his fear and anger, had to find Gwen. The dragon was still silently hovering over them, his expression far too inscrutable for Arthur to decide how he was feeling.

“Clearly we have to go to the Isle of the Blessed. The crystal needs to be returned and Gwen will be there.” Morgana stepped forward, her face a mask of coolness. She glanced at Merlin and Elena. “Perhaps some can go and check the ships for Percy.”

Thankful for Morgana’s cool head, Arthur nodded. “Gwaine can go with Elena and Mordred to the fleet, look for Percy and rescue whoever else needs to be rescued. The rest of us -”

“I want to look for Gwen.” Mordred said.

“No,” said Arthur.

“But -”

Arthur grabbed Mordred’s shoulders and looked into eyes that reflected his own fears and desperation. “No. I need you with the other group. You have magic -”

“But -”

“- and you can help them,” said Arthur, giving Mordred a little shake. “You stepped up before. You can do it again.”

He expected Mordred to whine, to complain. Instead, the young boy swallowed, his eyes wide, and nodded.

“Good,” said Arthur. Now that there was a semblance of a plan, the fear that had encased his heart eased. “Kilgarrah, how many people can you carry?”

* * *

 

“Where are we going?” They had been walking for a day or so before Morgause stole two horses. Now, they had ridden to the edge of the land. Water from the lake lapped along the shore and Gwen closed her eyes, letting the familiar sound wash over her. It filled her with hope and strength. Morgause had been quiet throughout their journey, giving Gwen barely enough water and sustenance to keep up her energy.

“Where magic begins,” said Morgause cryptically.

Gwen opened her eyes to see Morgause standing at the shore, staring out into the lake. Mist and fog obscured the focus of Morgause’s stare. She still wore her armour, as uncomfortable as Gwen thought it looked, and despite the dirt smudge on her cheeks and the exhaustion that ringed her eyes, she looked every inch a formidable warrior. What made her this way? What made her cast aside everything for this?

Without a word, Morgause whipped around and walked into a cluster of bushes. After some rustling, she dragged out a small boat, all the way to the edge of the water. With a tilt of her head, she ordered Gwen into it, then stepped into it herself. A muttered spell released Gwen’s hands and an oar was shoved at her.

“Get in and row. We need to move quickly, before night falls.”

Several ideas skittered through Gwen’s head and seizing on one, Gwen swung the oar, wincing as it connected with Morgause’s skull, then, turned and ran. Her feet sank into the soft sand and the oar seemed to have gotten heavier. Up ahead, Gwen could see the forest they had just trekked through and headed towards it. Wind whipped through her hair and with every step, hope started to build. Her lungs burned with her exertion and her legs throbbed, but she kept moving. She’d taken her chance and she couldn’t get caught now.

Her legs refused to listen to her. The oar dropped from her hands.

“Fool! You’re lucky you are Uther’s ward or I’d kill you right in this spot.”

Her breaths came out in harsh gasps and tears that Gwen had been keeping at bay stung her eyes. She couldn’t help but think that this had been her last chance for escape and she’d blown it. What a stupid, stupid decision.

A sword pressed between her shoulder blades. Morgause had caught up with her.

“I’m going to release you and you will get into the boat. One step I don’t like and I will relieve you of a body part.”

Back in the boat, Gwen took the oar from Morgause, dipped it into the water and pulled. The trip across the lake was tense as Gwen rowed, acutely aware of the sword that rested against her back. Occasionally, as if to remind her who was in charge, the sword would press harder into her skin.

As the boat moved through the water, breaking through the mist, Gwen finally saw their destination - a large island with a towering structure looming over it. Creatures, possibly dragons, circled the structure. It was dark and eerie and a chill slithered down Gwen’s spine. Every now and then, one of the creatures would cry out - a guttural, toe-curling screech that made Gwen’s hair stand.

The sword moved. “Faster.”

“I’m doing the best I can,” said Gwen, even though it was a complete lie. The island gave her a bad feeling and Gwen was in no hurry to get to it.

But even with her measured strokes, the island came closer and closer.

Then Gwen saw it. The silhouette of a great dragon in the distance.

“Why have you stopped?” Once again, the sword pressed into her skin.

“Sorry,” said Gwen and she dipped the oar into the water, this time with a little more hope than before.

* * *

 

Behind him, Arthur could feel the tension rolling off Merlin in waves. The four of them were squashed on the back of Kilgarrah and in another situation, Arthur might have been exhilarated at the experience of flying on a dragon, but now, all his mind could focus on was Gwen.

“I see them!” Merlin’s pointed chin poked into Arthur’s shoulder as he gestured to the large island below them. “Over there! In the lake.”

Arthur shifted so he could look down but was struck immediately by dizziness. Clutching his head, he quickly moved back to his position. Storms he could weather, but heights?

“Arthur’s not a fan of heights,” said Morgana. “I don’t see them. Oh wait. That boat.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Arthur leaned over again, wanting to see with his own eyes that Gwen was fine, but the dizziness hit him again and gripping Morgana’s shoulder, he sat up straight again and shut his eyes. Then, to make things worse, Kilgarrah swooped down, sending Arthur’s heart tumbling.

“Hold on!” yelled Merlin, something Arthur thought he should have mentioned earlier. “We’re being attacked. Morgana!”

Opening one eye, keeping his hands tight on Morgana’s shoulders, Arthur saw two smaller dragons flying towards them. Then one of them burst into flames, the heat licking against his face.

“Good shot!” Morgana sounded almost gleeful as she patted Kilgarrah’s neck. Arthur wasn’t sure how much he liked that.

“Incoming! Arthur, use your sword!” Merlin lifted his arm, stunning another dragon.

Just as another dragon flew above them, Arthur unsheathed his sword just in time to plunge it into its uncovered belly, causing it to screech, then shoot into the air. Thankfully, Arthur had enough sense to yank on his sword, drawing it out before the dragon disappeared into the clouds.

“Damn it,” said Lancelot. “There are a lot of them and it’s not easy fighting on a dragon.”

Another blast of fire from Kilgarrah caused Arthur to grab blindly at Morgana again. He swore but barely heard himself over the pounding of his heart. Then, at the corner of his eye, he noticed yet another dragon heading towards them. Arthur readied his sword, even as he clutched at Morgana while Kilgarrah made another dive to avoid it.

“I am going to land,” said Kilgarrah. “You will have to make your way to the tower on your own. Good luck.”

The moment they scrambled off Kilgarrah, the dragon shot back up into the air, leaving the four of them standing some distance from the tower. Above them, the other dragons circled but it seemed that they had no intention of approaching land. Arthur wasn’t sure if that was a good sign.

“Let’s go,” said Arthur. His legs were still unsteady but there was no time to lose. Gwen was on this island and he needed to get to her.

The island was barren and the only sign of life were the screeching dragons above head and a light that flickered in the tower. Sharp rocks hampered their movement and by the time they reached the tower, Arthur’s arms were scratched and there was a huge gash on his palm.

They were just some steps away from the looming tower, crouched behind a crumbling brick wall scanning the area when movement caught Arthur’s eyes. He nudged Lancelot who was squatting next to him. The woman at her back, a sword pointed at her and shackles around his wrist, Gwen trudged towards the tower. Even from this distance, Arthur could see that she was exhausted and the anger and fear that he’d been holding at bay crashed through, overwhelming him. He wanted to rush to her, to grab her and take her away but the part of his brain that was still able to function rationally held him back. Rushing out without a plan might serve to get Gwen hurt.

Then, the woman stopped, reaching out a hand to yank Gwen to a stop as well.

Arthur growled.

“She can sense us - I mean, the crystal,” said Merlin.

It was good thing that Merlin was holding on to his arm because the woman, with a swiftness Arthur didn’t see coming, pulled Gwen to her, yanked Gwen’s head back, then held her sword to Gwen’s exposed neck.

Blood rushed to Arthur’s head and he gripped his sword, only Merlin’s hand on his arm stopping him from rushing out. Merlin was saying something but Arthur could only hear the roaring in his ears and the pounding in his heart. One more move by the woman and Arthur was not going to wait around anymore.

“I know you’re there with the crystal. Come out or I will slit her throat.”

Pulling at Merlin, Arthur snapped at Lancelot and Morgana to remain hidden. Then, keeping his sword drawn but lowered, Arthur stepped out with Merlin.

* * *

 

The joy and relief at seeing Arthur and Merlin almost made Gwen sink to her knees. So, she hadn’t made up seeing Kilgarrah. Morgause pulled her hair again, causing her head to jerk backwards painfully, but she bit her lip. She’d seen the anger in Arthur’s eyes and she knew his impulsiveness. If she made a sound, he might do something foolish.

“Release her and we’ll give you the crystal,” said Arthur, his voice so taut that Gwen knew he was at the edge of his patience. But what was he doing? They couldn’t give up the crystal, not for her. Her freedom would mean nothing if the world was plunged into darkness.

“Arthur -”

Arthur whipped around. “Shut up, Merlin. Give me the crystal.”

Struggling against Morgause’s hold, Gwen managed a harsh no but the crystal was already in Arthur’s hand, while Merlin stood beside him, his face tense.

“Release her,” said Arthur.

“I am no fool. Give me the crystal first.” The grip Morgause had on Gwen tightened, and she winced.

“I trust you as much as you trust me.” Arthur took a small step forward. “We’ll do it together. I’ll hand you the crystal and you hand over Gwen.”

The sword at her throat relaxed slightly and Morgause hissed into Gwen’s ear. “Gwen? You are not Uther’s ward?”

This was her chance. The sword was no longer tight against her throat and Morgause’s grip had loosened a little. She shook her head in answer to Morgause’s question, elbowed Morgause in the stomach, ducked and slipped from her grip. Immediately, Arthur grabbed her and shoved her roughly behind him, his sword now drawn. Pushing her hair out of her face, Gwen nodded at Merlin who quickly tossed her his sword.

A blast sent Arthur flying into her and they both slammed into the wall Arthur had come from. Pain shot through her and when she opened her eyes, her vision was blurred. Someone pulled at her but she fought him off. Merlin was facing off alone with Morgause. She reached blindly for the sword, her hand running over the stone and dirt that paved the ground. A twinge in her ankle made her suspect that she had hurt it. There were more blasts and flying stones hit her. Arms pulled at her again but this time she recognised them as Arthur’s.

“Merlin!” There were blasts, fire and utter chaos around here and while she could make out Merlin, standing there with his arm out, she couldn’t tell who was winning.

“He’s holding his own,” said Arthur as he lifted her and cradled her to him. “Let’s get you to safety.”

“Crystal?”

“Lancelot has got it.” Gently, Arthur lowered her behind the wall, kissed her forehead, then sternly told her not to move. Then, Arthur disappeared behind the wall. Part of her wanted to run after him, but another part of her realised she might be more liability than anything.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Gwen looked up to see Lancelot crouching next to her. “I know that look. You want to join them. It’s a mess behind the wall and you’re hurt. I’m sure the three of them can handle themselves.”

Pushing herself up and pushing Lancelot’s hands away, Gwen peered out from the wall. Dust and smoke obscured her vision, then Merlin stepped out. Dirt and blood were smeared on his face and he was hunched over. He ran a hand across his face, only serving to smudge everything even more.

“It’s over.”

The smoke cleared and Gwen saw Morgause’s limb body on the ground, flanked by Arthur and Morgana. Like Merlin, the two of them were caked in dirt and blood.

Arthur raised his eyes to her and repeated Merlin’s words. Ignoring the pain in her ankle and her head, Gwen jumped up and dashed over to him. A smile broke across his face as he grabbed her waist and hauled her into his arms, lifting his face to accept her kisses. Joy exploded in Gwen and she cupped his face.

“It’s over,” said Arthur again, in between kisses. “Let’s go home.”

“Uh, we still have to deal with the crystal,” said Merlin. “Then we can return to Camelot.”

Was Camelot home? Gwen didn’t know but for now, she didn’t really care.

* * *

 

After everything, their journey back to Camelot was strangely uneventful. Arthur and Gwen holed up in Arthur’s cabin, allowing Lancelot to captain The Grail. They cleaned each other's’ wounds, from scratched to deep gashes, and dressed them. Then, a lot worse for wear, they snuggled together in Arthur’s bed and simply enjoyed being together without the threat of anything hanging over them.


	24. Chapter 24

It was the pinch of her nipple that woke her. By the time she was more than half awake, Gwen was already aware of one of Arthur’s hand palming her breast and the other stroking her hip. The evidence of his arousal rested hot and heavy against her thigh and his lips pressed against her shoulder.

She had missed this. She had missed him. She had missed just them on a ship, without worries.

Pressing back into his arousal, Gwen let out a sigh as desire flooded her. Memories of Arthur filling her, moving in her, bringing her pleasures she now associated only with him.

“Good morning. Although it is quite a bit past morning already.”

Gwen stretched, wincing as her sore body protested. Then, she twisted so they were nose to nose, then she brushed his nose with hers, eliciting a lazy smile from him. She cupped his face, her thumb tracing a scratch across his cheek. How different he was from the man she’d kidnapped all those months ago. Now his eyes were filled with warmth and something that closely resembled joy, and the thought that she might have had something to do with made her heart swell.

“Are you planning to finish what you started?” Gwen licked Arthur’s ear and his smile disappeared into a moan.

“How are you feeling?” His voice was rough, taut with desire and it made Gwen smile and wriggle a little bit more.

“Sore. I could use some comfort,” she whispered into the hollow of his throat. He smelled like the herbs and alcohol that she had spread across his wounds, and Gwen figured she probably smelled the same.

Arthur moved his lips across hers. “You should rest.” And yet his hand moved from her hip up to her back and pressed her closer to him. He shifted so he was tucked into the warmth between her legs.

“I’ve rested enough.”

“Gwen, you’re injured.” He touched the bandage on her forehead gently, then the one that wrapped around her middle. “No exertion.”

Arthur, Gwen decided, was an ass. Touching her, making her hot with lust, then telling her that he wasn’t going to follow through. She moved her hand down, wrapping her fingers around his thick, hot length and stroking him with deliberate slowness. His hips jerked and he scowled at her, not before he let out a harsh moan. He covered her hand with his own.

“Gwen -”

“Show me what you want,” she murmured.

He swore, much to Gwen’s amusement. “I want you to rest.”

This called for desperate measures. She batted her eyelashes at him, then squeezed.

Arthur’s growl vibrated against her and he flipped them over so she was lying flat on her back. He pressed his hips into hers while his hands framed her face. “You will tell me if you are hurting.”

“Mmm. Can you stop talking and kiss me?”

“Wench,” he muttered against her lips, then he was kissing her the way she wanted. Gwen wrapped her legs around his and rubbed, wanting to ease the ache that had been building. “You will be the death of me,” he breathed between kisses. “But I’ll die happy with you.”

Arthur spent a long time kissing her, hard, almost punishing kisses, while his hands ran all across her body, stroking her to increasing need. By the time his hand reached the junction of her thighs, Gwen was whimpering and so close to begging him.

“So wet for me,” he rasped into her ear. “So, so wet.”

One finger, then two slid into her. Her own fingers grasped at his hair, urging him on, yet he continued his leisurely fingering of her, occasionally his thumb running across her nub making her toes curl.

Slowly, Arthur kissed his way down, past her breasts which he licked, past her bandaged stomach which he peppered with gentle kisses until he reached where his fingers were. Withdrawing his fingers, Arthur placed both palms on her thighs and spread her legs, opening her up for him.

Gwen said his name, then bit down on a scream when Arthur’s tongue finally touched her.

* * *

 

Lancelot was the only one on the deck. Arthur had left Gwen sleeping in his cabin and after spending a good one and a half days just curled around her, it was about time he found out what was happening on his ship.

“Any news from Gwaine?”

“Just that they are headed towards Camelot. They should reach before us.”

Above them, stars twinkled in the sky. Gwen would enjoy the view and the cool sea breeze that wafted across the deck. Perhaps later he would wake her and they could cuddle on deck, under the stars.

“Percy?” Gwen had been asking about him and every time Arthur said he had no news, the look in her eyes made his heart break.

Lancelot shook his head. “I don’t know. Aside from the flags yesterday, I’ve not had any communications from The Hawk.”

Arthur sighed and leaned against the railings. If anything had happened to Percy, both Gwen and Elena would be devastated. Even hard-hearted pirates had feelings, he thought wryly. How long had it been since he had thought of Gwen that way?

“What is going to happen when we reach Camelot?”

Gwen’s words before they embarked on that battle with Essetir came back to him and he shut his eyes. “I promised Gwen a ship.”

“And that’s it?” Lancelot asked.

“What does it matter to you? You are married to Elaine.”

“I still care for her.” Lancelot came to lean on the railings next to Arthur. His voice softened, a trace of wistfulness in it. “She never looked at me the way she looks at you.”

Petty as that was, hearing those words pleased Arthur. Still, Lancelot was the last person Arthur was going to discuss his plans with, especially any involving Gwen. Lancelot struck him as a stand up, noble sort of man but which man would leave his wife back in Camelot, then fuss over a past lover?

“I will do right by Gwen,” said Arthur. What exactly that entailed, he didn’t know. But he and Gwen would figure it out together. She had been nervous, reluctant to remain in Camelot the last time they had spoken about their future. But now that they had secured the future of Albion, Arthur was determined to secure his own future with Gwen, one way or another.

“Get some rest, Lancelot. I’ll stay on deck.”

“Yes, my lord.” Lancelot’s bow was small, then Arthur listened as his footsteps slowly got softer and softer until they disappeared.

Arthur stared out into the darkness. What lay ahead? Just half a year ago, the answer would have come easily to him. He would marry Mithian, and when his father passed on, continue to rule Camelot in his stead. That had been the plan since he was born, until this pirate came and tossed them all into the waves. With Essetir without a leader, large swaths of Albion overrun by Morgause, people would be turning to Camelot and his father for leadership. A knot formed in his stomach as he thought what that would mean for him.

He felt her presence before he registered her soft footsteps. Her arm slid around his waist and he pulled her close, dropping a kiss on her head. “How are your injuries?”

“I’m not the only one injured here,” Gwen said as she traced the cloth that wrapped around his hand. “I couldn’t sleep without you.”

“I thought that as captain of this ship, I should check out what was happening.”

“Any news from Gwaine?”

He tightened his hold on her. “No. I’m sorry.”

“No news is good news,” said Gwen with quiet hope. “At least, Merlin seems alright. Sad and withdrawn but he told me a joke earlier.”

“Good.”

For a while, the two of them stood, arms around each other, and looked at the stars twinkling above them. This felt right, so surely the two of them could work something out.

Surely, thought Arthur even as a small part of him reminded him that Gwen didn’t want to be a princess, much less a queen. To silence that part of him, he dipped his head and captured Gwen’s lips in a kiss. They might have different dreams, imagined different futures for themselves but this was something they did very well together.

* * *

 

Merlin checked her wound, his cool fingers pressing around it. With a sigh, he leaned back on his heels. “I think you’ll heal fine but there will be a scar.”

“I don’t think my condition is what is troubling you.” Gwen shifted a little, then patted the space next to her on the bench. A slight smile on his face, Merlin sat down next to her. “Do you want to tell me? Is it to do with what happened on the island?”

Merlin leaned into her, his familiar weight a comfort to Gwen. So many things had changed so quickly over the past few weeks that it was nice to fall into habits. And Merlin slouched against her, on the deck of a ship, was one of those things.

When Merlin seemed content to simply sit there next to her, Gwen kept silent as well. She took his hand, pleased when he squeezed it. Around them, Arthur’s men kept the ship going. She might not have read the maps but Gwen still recognised enough of the scenery to realise that it wouldn’t be long before they would arrive at Camelot. Now, in the middle of the infinite ocean, they lived in a suspended moment in time where difficult questions didn’t need to be asked and difficult decisions didn’t need to be made. Gwen squinted into the sun but she couldn’t make out any other ship on the water, much less Gwaine’s.

“Do you think they found Percy?”

“I don’t know,” said Merlin.

Gwen closed her eyes and willed herself not to panic. There was every chance that Elena would have been able to find him in time. Death was not stranger to her but every time she lost a crew, a little bit of her heart died as well. A liability, she knew, to any self-respecting pirate captain but between her experience, Merlin’s magic and Elena’s skill with guns, deaths were few and far between and she had become softer.

“Morgana plans to leave Camelot.”

She opened her eyes again to look at Merlin. “Why?”

“Camelot isn’t tolerant of magic -”

Gwen scoffed. “That’s an understatement.”

Merlin’s smile was slight and wry. “And after our adventures, she wants to learn how to use her magic better.”

“Good for her,” said Gwen. “Where is she planning to go?”

Merlin didn’t reply.

A stone lodged itself in her stomach. “You want to go with her.”

He let out a long breath. “Not with her. We don’t exactly get along. But maybe it’s time that I do more with my magic.”

“More than man a tiny pirate ship,” said Gwen, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

His shoulder bumped hers and his voice was gentle. “Hey, you’re the one always saying I should do something with my magic. And anyway, aren’t you going to be royalty soon? I’ve never heard of a pirate Queen before.”

Gwen knew Merlin was trying to tease her into a better mood, but the thought of losing Merlin, after perhaps having lost Percy and the futility of any future with Arthur, was another stab to her heart and she stood. “I’m feeling tired.”

Merlin called after her but she was too full of emotions. Thankfully the cabin was empty, and Gwen curled in bed, hugged a pillow to herself and squeezed her eyes shut.

* * *

 

Arthur had asked her to stand with him on the deck as The Grail approached but she had refused, despite him insisting that she would be hailed a hero by the kingdom. She didn’t want to be a hero. And so, once again, as The Grail docked, she hung back as Arthur disembarked to the raucous cheers and frantically waving flags of his people. His father, flanked by knights, stood every bit as imposing as Gwen remembered. And at his side stood Mithian, she of dark, long tresses and pale skin. Hadn’t Arthur broken off their engagement?

Uther smiled as Arthur approached and bowed. He squeezed Arthur’s shoulder and said something Gwen couldn’t hear but the pleasure and pride that flickered in Arthur’s eyes made it easy for her to guess. Then, Mithian took a step forward, placed her hand on Arthur’s arm, reached up and kissed his cheek, a kiss he received with a smile. Jealousy, hotter and more potent than she had ever felt shot through her, but when she turned away and caught sight of Gwaine’s ship pulling in, it was immediately forgotten.

Breaking from the group of people making their way off The Grail, Gwen dashed to the other end of the ship where she could get a better look at The Hawk. Fumbling for her spyglass, she finally managed to detach it from her trousers and she lifted it with trembling hands. The Hawk’s deck was bustling as the crew prepared to dock.

The first person she caught sight of was Mordred. He looked tired but he was working on the riggings with little discomfort. Relief flooded her and she scanned the rest of the deck. But aside from Gwaine who was yelling out orders, there was no sign of Elena or Percy. She made one more scan of the deck but there was still no Elena or Percy.

Someone touched her elbow and she jerked, dropping her spyglass.

“We need to get off the ship.” Lancelot offered her his arm. “We can wait for the Gwaine to disembark at the dock.”

Her nod was curt and numbly, she slipped her hand through his offered arm. Slowly, they walked off the ship. In front of her, she saw Merlin walking with Morgana, although they were not speaking. Arthur had been swallowed up by the large group of people from the castle and all she could see was a sea of red cloaks.

Gwaine’s ship seemed to take forever to finally dock. The air was cold and Lancelot had given her his coat. With her breath held, Gwen watched as the ship slowly approached the port.

“Gwen!” Mordred rushed to her and she let go of Lancelot, opening her arms to the sullen, sulky boy who had somehow wormed his way into her affections. “You’re alright!”

Gwen cupped his face briefly before pulling him into a hug. “So are you! I’m glad. What about Percy?”

Mordred wriggled out the embrace.

Gwen took a shaky step backwards, bumping into Lancelot, and shook her head at the look in Mordred’s eyes. “No.”

“He was badly injured,” said Mordred quietly, his eyes downcast. “But he still breathes. He hasn’t woken up although we tended to his wounds. The bloody ones, at least.”

“Elena?”

“She won’t leave his side. They should be getting off soon.”

And true enough, after more crew left the ship, Elena emerged, walking next to a makeshift stretcher with Percy tied onto it. Her face showed no emotions until she caught sight of Gwen. Tears filled her eyes and her pace quickened, but not to the extent that it would take her away from the stretcher. Finally, when she was close enough, she tumbled into Gwen’s arms and they clung to each other.

* * *

 

His father, always stingy with praise and generous with criticism, was lavishing him with praise, promising him that he would regain the title of Navy Commander from Gwaine, and Mithian stayed by his side, too thankful that her kingdom had been spared to leave him. Perhaps some months ago, Arthur would have been in heaven, soaking in his father’s words to be remembered the next time he was being chewed out by his father. Now he found it hard to even concentrate on his father’s words. He had expected Gwen to be just behind him but when he’d looked back, she hadn’t been there. And neither had Lancelot.

He took a deep breath, willing the jealousy, fear and dread that threatened to boil over. He was being irrational, he knew, but all he could think of was how reluctant she’d been about their relationship just before they left Camelot. Had she decided to leave him? Was Lancelot helping her leave?

“Arthur?”

He blinked, then returned his attention to his father. “Yes, my lord?”

“There is much fallout from the war Cenred was waging and there are a lot of odds and ends to work out. But a celebration is in order.”

“Captain Guinevere and her crew were crucial to the defeat of Cenred. There will be no celebration if they are not invited.”

Uther’s expression cooled and he looked around the room. “I did not see them. I thought you would have had the sense to abandon them, if not kill them, after they did their part.”

Arthur’s nails bit into his palm and he counted backwards from ten so he wouldn’t grab his sword and threaten his father for disrespecting Gwen. “I brought them back to Camelot. WIthout them, we would not have been victorious. Nemeth would be destroyed, just like Ismere and Orthanden and the dark forces would be advancing on Camelot.”

Arthur held Uther’s stare.

With a wave of a hand, Uther broke the impasse. “Fine. If it would make you happy, we will invite the pirate and her crew to the celebrations.”

“And you will call off the bounty on her head.”

Uther stood, a frown etched on his brows. “You ask too much. I am not the one who placed the bounty on her head.”

“But you know who did and you have influence. Do it or I will tell the other kingdoms in Albion about how you want to kill those who saved their kingdoms from being overrun with skeleton soldiers.” He glanced at Mithian and hoped that she was nothing like his father. “I am sure Mithian here will vouch for me.”

For a moment, Arthur saw confusion in her eyes but she blinked and it was gone. She lifted her head and faced Uther. “I will vouch for Arthur. They saved my kingdom and my parents. It is the least I can do for them.”

Uther’s face was blotched with red and Arthur could see that his father was barely hanging on to his temper. Then, he sucked in a mouthful of air. “Do not think you can manipulate me in this manner again in future. I expect such nonsense from my son, but I expected better from you, Mithian,” said Uther. “Now leave my sight. All of you.”

When, as they walked down the corridors, Mithian slipped her arm through his, Arthur stopped, and gently removed her arm.

“Mithian, I appreciate what you did in the throne room with my father, but what I spoke about before I left still stands.” He took a step away from her. “I cannot marry you.”

“The pirate captain, she’s your beloved is she not?”

“Yes. But please, don’t -”

A strange expression crossed Mithian’s face and she raised a hand to hush him. “Do you know why I agreed to marry you?”

“Because I’m the crown prince and exceedingly handsome?”

As he intended, that made Mithian smile. “Something like that. I want to rule Nemeth and marriage to you would be expedient. With Camelot’s backing, Nemeth would never need to worry about security.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” said Mithian with little sentiment. “You aren’t your father and I have more trust in you than I do him. And so, I will graciously bow out of our arrangement in exchange for your promise that you will ensure that Nemeth retains the protection of Camelot.”

“Is that why you stood by me against my father inside?”

Mithian nodded. “I have seen your father betray allies, ignore friends and I don’t trust him. Marriage to you was supposed to ensure that he would never betray my kingdom.” She paused, her eyes studying Arthur. “I have done all he asked of me, but just now, I chose to trust you over your father.”

Arthur knew his father was not above petty quarrels and Mithian would have fallen in his esteem because she sided with Arthur and the pirates. “I promise you that Nemeth will always have the protection of the Camelot army and navy.”

“Good. Now I suppose you will be going to your beloved pirate.”

“Yes.” If he could find her, he added silently. If she hadn’t already run from Camelot.

That strange expression crossed Mithian’s face again. “She is lucky to be so loved for herself and not for what she can offer.”

Before Arthur could answer, Mithian dropped into a slight curtsey, then walked away. He watched her for a while, then horns announcing the arrival of Gwaine’s ship shook him out of his thoughts.

Gwaine’s ship. Gwen must have been waiting for it to dock.

Arthur smiled.

She hadn’t left him. Picking up his pace, he rushed out of the castle and headed towards the port.


	25. Chapter 25

The scar stretched from his left eye to his jaw, angry and red. Bandages, stained with dried blood and frayed at the edges, wrapped around his right thigh and his right shoulder. With his skin pale and cold to the touch, it was only the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that assured Gwen that Percy was still alive. On the other side of the stretcher, Elena fussed, dabbing his chest and forehead with a damp cloth, even as the stretcher bearers continued to walk.

“They will bring him to Gaius,” said Lancelot as he adjusted the coat on her shoulders. “If there is anything to be done, Gaius will be able to do it.”

Pressing her lips together, Gwen nodded. She wanted Lancelot to leave her alone, to stop hovering over her. Who did he think her was? Coming back and pretending to care for her when she was worth only 12 words before? The tight leash that she had kept on her emotions since Merlin’s words was slowly unravelling. Seeing the once strong and seemingly undefeatable Percy in this state was just another kink in the leash. As she watched Elena, with her over-bright eyes and pale, drawn face and as Merlin’s voice echoed in her head, Gwen wondered just how much more she was about to lose. And all because she’d pushed to help Camelot and Arthur. If she hadn’t -

“Gwen.”

Lancelot finally stopped adjusting his coat, dropped his hands and took a step back. “My lord.”

Tearing her eyes from Percy, Gwen turned and saw Arthur. As their eyes met, Arthur broke into a wide grin. He moved towards her, his hands reaching for her with that smile still on his face.

It was the last straw.

He had gained everything and she had lost everything.

The floodgates opened and bitter anger washed over her. She stumbled backwards, avoiding his touch, and into Lancelot who immediately grabbed her shoulders to steady her. The smile on Arthur’s face faltered and he stopped walking.

“Gwen,” he said again, uncertain eyes searching hers.

Images of Mithian kissing Arthur on his cheek, of Merlin squeezing her hand and telling her he might leave, of Elena’s tears and Percy’s wounds chased each other through her mind. Unthinkingly, she pulled Lancelot’s coat tighter around her to stop herself from shivering. Through the blur of tears, she could see that Arthur was still smiling, even if it had dimmed a little. Of course he was smiling, she thought uncharitably.

“Come.” Arthur took a step forward, his voice gentle. “Let me walk you back to the castle. Percy will get the best care Camelot can provide.”

Her throat was so tight she could barely breathe, much less speak. So she shook her head. She didn’t want to go to the castle where she knew she would be unwelcomed. She didn’t want to see the celebrations and the joy when she was hurting so badly. She didn’t want to see Mithian and Arthur together. And she didn’t want to deal with Uther and his hostilities.

“I want my ship.”

The smile finally left Arthur’s face and his eyes flicked to Lancelot who still hovered beside her. “Don’t you have a wife to go home to, Sir Lancelot?”

His words were clipped and Gwen could see his temper beginning to fray. Good, she thought. Behind her, she could feel Lancelot hesitate. She took a step away from him. She didn’t need him nor did she need Arthur.

“That wasn’t a request.” Arthur was still looking over her head at Lancelot.

“Of course, my lord.”

Lancelot gave a one armed hug that she didn’t reciprocate, then bowed and walked away, leaving her and Arthur. They weren’t alone. Around them, the dock workers were still bustling around, cleaning up the ships that just came in, hauling cargo up and down the port.

“You promised me a ship,” Gwen repeated. With a ship, she had the freedom to leave Camelot. She could rebuild her life. She’d done it before, when her father died and when Lancelot had left. She could do it again. Merlin knew about healing. He could tend to Percy and the 4 of them, 5 if Mordred joined them, could pick up a new crew and set sail for the seas.

“I will give you a ship. Come back to the castle first.” The tenderness that had been in his voice earlier had disappeared and his arms hung at his side, his fists clenched.

She shook her head. “I want one now.”

“Why? So you can sail off into the sunset with Lancelot?” Arthur took a step towards her. He touched the coat draped around her shoulders, then he snorted. “This is his coat. Is that what you have been doing while I was in the castle? Snuggling with Lancelot? He has a wife!”

Gwen shoved Arthur away, his words only fanning the flames of anger in her. “I saw Mithian with you, so don’t pretend you’re any better.”

“You are being unreasonable.”

“Unreasonable? Is it reasonable that you return, feted for saving Camelot while I have nothing? Merlin wants to leave to study his magic. Percy is on his deathbed. My ship is gone. What do I have?” She blinked back hot tears. “Tell me. What do I have now? If I had never met you -”

Her voice faltered and Gwen had the sinking feeling that she might have said too much. Yet the pain in her chest made any apologies she was willing to give die before she could give voice to them.

For a moment, Arthur didn’t move and the thought that he was going to turn around and leave her too, all alone on the Camelot docks occurred to her, sending shards of pain shooting through her. But he didn’t turn away. One stride and he was next to her, pulling her into a hug. She fought against it at first, but the feel of his body against hers and the sound of his voice whispering into her ear and suddenly, she was clutching him and crying.

“Come back to the castle with me. I promise I’ll take care of you,” said Arthur, his lips moving against her hair. “Percy should be there by now and Gaius will be able to tell you how he is.”

Pressing her face into his chest, Gwen nodded, all the anger in her disappearing, leaving nothing but a gaping hole in her heart.

 

* * *

 

Arthur adjusted the blanket over Gwen’s sleeping form. Even in sleep, she looked sad, a slight frown marring her brows and Arthur’s heart ached. His selfishness and his impulsive, unthinking words to her on the docks ate at him. Everything she had said was true. He had come out of the battle victorious. Albion was saved, his father was happy with him and he might even get his position in the navy back. All the sacrifice had been on Gwen’s side.

Bending over, he brushed his lips across her forehead, tucked a lock of her curls behind her ear then left the room, instructing the guard at the door to call him if Gwen even stirred. Right now, he had to get her a ship. But first, he had to visit Percy.

When he had been in Gaius’s medical chambers earlier with Gwen, Gaius had been there, taking down copious notes as his assistant pottered around the unconscious Percy, feeling his pulse and checking his wounds. Now, the only person in the room was Merlin.

“Any changes?”

Merlin looked up from where he was seated and shrugged. “You’ve not been gone that long.”

“Where is Elena?”

“I convinced her to get some rest. Said the same thing you told Gwen, that I’ll get her the moment there’s any changes. Of which there are none, because you were just here maybe 20 minutes ago.” Merlin sighed, then ran his hand across the page of the book he was reading.

Although it was bright and sunny outside, thick curtains had been drawn across the room, shrouding it in darkness. Only two candles burned. One by which Merlin was reading, the other next to Percy, casting shadows on his pale, drawn face. Arthur hadn’t known Percy long but he knew of the large man’s loyalty to Gwen.

Arthur moved to the bed and looked at Percy. “Gwen said that you were thinking of leaving.”

Again, Merlin lifted his head. “Leaving?”

“To hone your magic.”

“Ah. Well, I admit I have been thinking about it.” He closed the book and a cloud of dust flew from it. “It’s not like we have a ship anymore. And I gather Gwen might soon become a princess.”

“Were you all happy? Sailing the Excalibur?” He wanted Gwen to stay in Camelot with him, to one day rule Camelot by his side, but he hadn’t planned on that making her this miserable.

Merlin’s smile was slight, barely visible in the low light. “I believe we were. It was easy and we had each other. But things change, don’t they?”

“If there are any changes, let Roland know and he’ll fetch me.”

“What am I? The general dogsbody?” Merlin waved a hand. “Fine. It’s not like I have anything to do.”

“Thank you.”

But Merlin had opened his book again.

 

* * *

 

The Lady of the Lake was not as big or as fancy as The Grail but it was good ship, well-equipped and well-maintained. Gwaine had been at the docks, overseeing the work on the ships and when Arthur had told him that The Lady of the Lake was to be gifted to Gwen and her crew for their assistance, Gwaine had said nothing, aside from raising an eyebrow.

Upon his return to the castle, Sir James quickly hustled him to his father’s chambers, whispering that Uther had been searching for Arthur. And that was how, instead of being curled around Gwen in bed, Arthur was now standing in front of his father in the throne room.

“Gwaine’s men have reported that Cenred was nowhere to be found. A lack of leadership, even one as lacking as Cenred’s, will lead to chaos. I want you to take a group of men and throw your support behind Lord Simpson.”

“Lord Simpson?”

Uther nodded. “He’s been a staunch supporter of Camelot and I want him on the throne.”

As annoyed as he was to be sent out of Camelot again, Arthur merely inclined his head. It wasn’t worth fighting with his father over. With Camelot’s strength and Essetir’s chaos, it wouldn’t take long to install this Lord Simpson on the throne. And Arthur had other more important things to concern himself over.

“On your way back from Essetir, you will make a detour to Nemeth to escort Mithian’s parents to Camelot.”

“Why?”

“For the wedding between you and Mithian, of course. While you are in Essetir, we will put the wedding together. Not only will it be a -”

“Father.”

Uther stopped talking at Arthur’s interruption.

“Mithian and I are not getting married.”

The only sign of Uther’s disapproval was the subtle tightening of his fingers on the armrest of the throne. “Would you like to explain that?”

Arthur swallowed. Even at his age, opposing his father still made him feel like he was that little boy from years ago. “There is nothing to explain. We have decided not to get married.”

“I see.” The calmness of Uther’s tone only made Arthur’s skin crawl. “This is a betrothal that took months to negotiate and the two of you have decided to call it off? Without consultation?”

“You made the decision that we should marry without consulting us,” said Arthur. “We are not suited for each other.”

The movement of Uther’s fingers was small, but in response, two guards stepped forward. Arthur tensed, his hand immediately flying to his sword. But there was no other movement. Still, Arthur kept his hand on his sword. He’d been thrown into the gaols before for less.

“And whose idea was this? Yours or Mithian’s?”

“Mine. But I have spoken to Mithian and she has agreed.”

“That’s too bad then.” Slowly, Uther stood and walked to where Arthur stood. He raised a hand and cupped Arthur’s cheek. “This is all because of that pirate woman, isn’t it? I’ve noticed that things have been different since you returned from her capture.”

“This has nothing -”

Uther’s hand moved from Arthur’s cheek to his chin, the gentle touch turning into an unyielding grip. “I am no fool, Arthur. I have yet to call off the bounty on her head and I will sentence her to death simply for setting foot on Camelot’s soil if you do not announce your upcoming nuptials to Mithian at tomorrow’s celebrations.”

Arthur wrenched his face away and took a step back, his chest heaving with the exertion of keeping his rising anger and fear in check. This time, his fingers closed around the hilt of his sword. “You wouldn’t -”

“Oh I would. I don’t know what the pirate did while she held you captive but I’ve only allowed her to live because of you.” Uther patted Arthur’s cheek, then walked to the doors of the throne room. “Tomorrow, we will announce your wedding. Make sure your pretty, little pirate is at the celebrations. After all, she is a special guest. And if you think of disobeying me, one order and your pirate will die, like her father did.”

The doors opened, then slammed shut, leaving Arthur alone in the room.

 

* * *

 

He ran, as fast as his shaking legs would take him, to Gwen’s room, letting out a harsh sigh of relief when he saw her still curled up under the covers in the guest bedroom.

“Do not let anyone in. Not even my father.” Although Sir Grendel nodded at Arthur’s words, Arthur knew that no one could stop his father if he wanted entry into this room. And nothing would stop him from killing Gwen if he so desired.

Arthur wanted to break something, hit something but instead, he settled himself next to Gwen on the bed and pulled her into his arms, relaxing slightly as her heart beat a soothing rhythm against his chest. Burying his face into her neck, Arthur inhaled her scent.

It wasn’t long before she stirred.

Propped up on one arm, Arthur watched as Gwen blinked, adorable confusion marring her face before her eyes focused on him. Then, the slow smile that spread across her face when she looked at him melted his heart, and as she rasped out a “hi”, Arthur knew what he had to do, as painful as it would be.

“Hello,” he said, one finger tracing her nose. “Do you feel better?”

She blinked a few more times, then sat up, pulling the covers with her. “Percy!”

“He’s still unconscious. Merlin is with him but Gaius believes he will be fine.” Arthur shifted so Gwen could hold her. Her curls tickled his nose and he squeezed his eyes shut. “I’m sorry, Gwen. At the docks - you were right about me gaining it all and you not.”

“It isn’t your fault.” Her fingers twined with his and he rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “It’s just that everything that made me, me is disappearing. I have no ship, Merlin wants to leave and Percy -”

Arthur kissed her forehead. “I’ll get the kitchens to bring us something to eat, then I have something to show you.”

 

* * *

 

After leading her off the docks, his arms tight around her, as if he was afraid she would run away, Arthur had taken her through the back doors into the castle, then to where Percy was resting. The court doctor, an elderly man called Gaius, and his assistant had been fussing over Percy, while Elena stood at the side, refusing to cry. Merlin was next to her, his hand in hers and in taking in the scene, Gwen felt the pain of their impending separation even more acutely. Gaius had assured her that Percy would regain consciousness soon, then under Arthur’s orders, had examined her own wounds and given her a vial of something utterly disgusting that he said would help her relax.

Then, Arthur had brought her to a room and practically demanded that she rest. She hadn’t put up much of a fight because she was tired and she was hoping sleep would take away all the pain and fear that plagued her.

Now, she was standing on the docks again as the sun was setting. Workers bustled around them, packing up to return to their families, bowing as they recognised Arthur standing next to her. Arthur gestured to a ship docked in front of them.

“What do you think?”

It was the size of Excalibur but looked a lot newer. The wood gleamed and in neat letter, the name Lady of the Lake was painted on its side.

“It’s a good looking ship.”

Arthur smiled tentatively. “Think she’ll be any good for piracy?”

“Oh,” she said, because she didn’t quite know what else to say.

“I expected you to be happier,” said Arthur as he took her hand. “Come, let’s have a look onboard. She’s a great ship.”

As Gwen walked onto the ship with Arthur, as she examined the shiny, new cannons and modern riggings, she couldn’t help but wonder if this meant the end of her and Arthur.

Wasn’t that what she wanted? To have her own ship and leave Camelot?

So why was she now feeling just as depressed as before?


	26. Chapter 26

“Arthur will lead an army down to -”

It wouldn’t be proper to close his eyes while his father and the council discussed important kingdom matters but the truth was that Arthur was tired of having this discussion. He had had it in the morning with his father and Gwaine in his father’s chambers. Then, during breakfast, despite Morgana’s scowling, Uther had insisted on talking about it again. And while Arthur was glad for the brief respite during lunch because of Mithian’s company, his father had called for a council meeting immediately after lunch.

And now here he was, pretending to be listening as the council debated, once again, just how Camelot could make the best use of the aftermath of this war to extend their borders and consolidate their power and influence. He wondered what Gwen was doing now. Was she even in the castle? She had expressed doubts about staying in Camelot several times. He’d woken up just before daybreak on the deck of the Lady of the Lake, alone, his heart sinking. Unaware of the situation between him and Gwen, Morgana had assured him that morning that she would take care of Gwen. Surely, if Gwen had run away, Morgana would tell him. And surely, Gwen would never leave without Percy and Elena. Or without saying goodbye to him.

With his father’s constant hovering, Arthur hadn’t been able to visit Percy but he trusted that Gaius would do his best by Percy. And there was Mordred, who Arthur hadn’t seen the young boy since their return, although Merlin and Morgana had both assured him that Mordred was fine. There were all these things that he could be doing, but he was stuck in this room listening to Sir Rowan go on and on about Essetir. Wasn’t that where Percy was from? He thought Gwen might have mentioned that before.

“With Arthur’s marriage to Mithian, our influence will be at Essetir’s doorstep. Installing Lord Simpson on the throne will ensure our influence reaches further. Camelot will truly be the greatest kingdom in Albion.”

At the reminder of his impending marriage to Mithian, Arthur cringed. Gwaine met his eyes, eyebrows raised, and Arthur shrugged. His marriage plans wasn’t any of Gwaine’s business. Still, the fact that the meeting was moving towards discussing his marriage was annoying Arthur. The scrap of the legs of his chair as he stood stopped his father in mid-sentence.

“I’m sorry but I have something to attend to.”

“More important than this strategic meeting?”

“Yes. And it seems like you’re discussing my wedding plans.” Arthur smiled coolly at his father. “I never had any say in it before. There’s no need to start now.”

Pleased that his father appeared to have no response, Arthur nodded at the rest of the council and walked out of the room, feeling rather proud of himself. It wasn’t often he defied his father, especially not in front of others.

“Arthur.”

A few steps down the corridor, Arthur stopped. “Gwaine. Walked out of the meeting too?”

“I’m even less interested in your wedding than you are.” Easily, Gwaine fell into step with him. “How’s the pirate crew?”

“Percy is still unconscious. Otherwise, they’ve been keeping to themselves, and as you well know, father has been keeping me busy.”

“Elena is an accomplished gunner.”

Arthur slanted a look at Gwaine. “It’s a little low, isn’t it, seeing that her lover is unconscious?”

“Not everyone is as lovestruck as you. I just think that she will be a great addition to the Camelot Navy. In fact, they all will.”

“My father will never let them join the navy.”

“He’s a stubborn fool,” said Gwaine with a shrug. “His loss.”

Arthur laughed dryly. “I can’t deny that. I’m going to look in on Percy. Want to come along?”

“Sure.”

 

* * *

 

As they approached the room where Percy was, Arthur noticed that there was a lot of movement. Catching hold of a serving girl who was about to dash past him, he asked what on earth was happening. Had Percy taken a turn for the worse?

“No, my lord.” She dipped into a curtsey made awkward because he was holding on to her arm. “He has awoken.”

A weight slid off his shoulders. Arthur let go of the serving girl, thanking her absently, then rushed to the room. Stepping into the room, Arthur couldn’t see Percy because of all the people surrounding his bed. None of them noticed him and it felt insensitive to call attention to his presence. So he stood, slightly apart from the rest of them, his eyes immediately going to Gwen who stood next to Merlin, almost leaning into him. The thought that Merlin should be him struck Arthur and he shook it from his mind. This was not the place for petty jealousy, yet when Merlin slipped an arm around Gwen’s shoulder, Arthur couldn’t help the twinge he felt in his heart.

Then, as if she could feel his eyes on her, Gwen turned. But instead of moving to him, she simply smiled slightly and nodded in acknowledgement of his presence. The disappointment that hit him was stronger than the jealousy from before.

“How is he?”

Elena looked up. “He’s awake.”

Gwen had turned back to watch as Gaius checked Percy. Arthur watched as she whispered to Merlin, then smiled at Elena. And it hit him. These people were her family. People she loved and cared for. How could he ask her to leave them, to stay in a kingdom where his father despised her, where the people grew up fed on stories of her father’s misdeeds? His heart twisted.

Eventually, Gaius finished checking on Percy and declared that all he needed was rest, some foul smelling paste to be rubbed into his wound at regular intervals and yet another foul smelling liquid to drink. It was the first time Arthur had seen Elena cry.

“What has happened to Essetir?” After gulping down a bowl of soup, Percy, sitting up in bed against a multitude of pillows, asked. “Does she still stand?”

Elena’s hand held Percy, as if she was unwilling to let him go.

“She does but with Cenred gone, I imagine a power struggle will be in progress.” It was Gwaine who answered. “Arthur will be leaving for Essetir in a few days to deal with that.”

Arthur swore inwardly. He hadn’t wanted to break this news to her like this. He was sure he was the only one who noticed how Gwen stiffened at Gwaine’s words, yet she didn’t turn back to look at him. Instead her head lifted and Arthur recognised it as a indication that she wasn’t happy. He wanted to reach for her, assure her but even he didn’t know what he would assure her with.

Percy sighed then closed his eyes.

With a wry smile, Elena looked at them. “He might have left Essetir a long time ago, but he still loves her.” She ran a gentle hand through Percy’s hair. “Whenever we stop on dry land, he always asks about Essetir.”

“Why did you leave?”

“Cenred killed my parents,” said Percy, slowly opening his eyes. He coughed, then winced as he moved to sit up more. “I had to leave.”

There was only one reason that Cenred would want to kill Percy’s parents. They must have been in competition with Cenred for power, which meant Percy was from a noble family. Questions filled Arthur’s mind. Did Percy want to return to Essetir now that Cenred was gone? Was Percy the only one left of his family? Did Percy think that Lord Simpson would make a good ruler? But Percy’s eyes were closed and exhaustion was etched all over his face. It was not the time for such questions.

Arthur’s eyes went back to Gwen. The straightness of her posture, the messy braid her hair was in and the curve of her exposed neck. His heart expanded and he knew there and then that his own happiness didn’t matter as much hers.

“We’ll let you two get some rest,” said Gwaine, then nudged at Arthur, who was still staring at Gwen. “Will we see you at the celebrations tonight? I believe the king has extended an invitation.”

Finally, Gwen looked at him, then at Gwaine. “An invitation or an order? We’re still here only because Percy needs to recover.”

“I would like to have you at the celebrations,” said Arthur, his voice coming out rougher than he expected. “You and your crew are the reason we are celebrating. Please.”

She looked away. “We’ll think about it.”

 

* * *

 

The last party Gwen had gone to had taken place in a tavern, full of ribald dancing and gallons of mead. She was pretty sure that the celebrations Uther had planned would be nothing like that. For one thing, it was still over an hour to the party but Morgana had sent her maid who had scrubbed Gwen until her skin stung, then made her try on what had seemed like a million dresses. Now, she sat in front of a mirror as the maid combed out her hair. She always kept her hair in a tight braid, so watching as the maid styled her hair loose held a strange fascination for Gwen.

Did all the ladies of the court have to endure hours of this just to look the way they did? No wonder they looked so wonderful. Her mind went to Mithian and Morgana, recalling how resplendent they had looked when she first set eyes on them, then she focused on her image in the mirror in front of her. Even with her hair tousled into something that must be fashionable, she wondered if she would ever look as regal as them.

The maid continued to fuss with her hair and Gwen closed her eyes and her mind went back to the Lady of the Lake. The ship was gorgeous, crafted with great skill and equipped with guns and cannons that would make Elena drool. It was everything she would need in a pirate ship. After Arthur had shown her around the ship, he’d looked at her with those eyes, cupped her face and kissed her. They ended up spending the night on the ship, making love under the stars and when Arthur finally fell asleep, wrapped in her arms, she’d spent the rest of the night studying him, committing him to her memory. Then, overwhelmed with despair that no matter how they felt about each other, there seemed to be no way that they could be with each other, Gwen had slipped from the ship and returned to her room in the castle.

“I’ve finished, my lady.”

Gwen opened her eyes. “I’m no lady.”

The maid seemed a little confused by her answer, her eyes widened, before she quickly moved to where the dress Gwen had finally chosen was.

“Would you like to dress now?”

When Gwen looked at the dress, exquisitely embroidered and made from the finest silks, uncertainty once again gripped her. She had decided, eventually, to attend the celebrations. It would, as Morgana had gently suggested, show her what being a lady of the court was like. And Arthur deserved that at least, an attempt by her to fit into his world. And maybe, despite her misgivings, she would find that she could fit into this world. And maybe they would be able to find a future together.

“My lady?” The maid gestured to the dress.

Swallowing her nerves and worries, Gwen nodded. “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

The dress was so voluminous that Gwen found it almost impossible to walk with any sort of dignity. How many years of training was involved in learning to walk in such dresses? Merlin was supposed to be waiting to escort her to the celebrations, so when she stepped out of her room and saw nothing but empty corridors, she started to worry. Perhaps something had happened to Percy and -

She yelped when a hand took hers and tugged her into an alcove hidden by a heavy, lavish hanging tapestry.

“I used to hide here when I was a kid and my father was looking for me to do my studies.”

Letting out a relieved laugh, Gwen gave Arthur a little shove. “You scared me. Did you send Merlin away?”

Morgana had explained that Arthur was obliged to escort Mithian to the celebrations, so Gwen wondered why he was here, lurking outside her room. Perhaps he’d decided to defy his father for her and enter the celebrations with her on his arm. It was an absurd risk to take, but Gwen couldn’t help the flutter of joy at this.

“I need to talk to you,” murmured Arthur. The words alone were enough to make her wary but when he refused to meet her eyes, she knew. “Then Merlin will escort you to the celebrations.”

So he wasn’t going to the celebrations with her. He would accompany the woman the kingdom believed he would marry. Logically, it shouldn’t hurt so much. She had agreed with Morgana that the celebrations, in front of everyone, was not the place to create any drama.

“What about?”

He finally looked at her. “You’re upset.”

Gently, he cupped her face with one hand, and used the other to pull her closer to him, as close as the dratted dress would allow. Gwen blinked.

“You look beautiful in the dress, by the way.” He leaned forward and kissed her. It was a brief, tender kiss and the tears she was trying to stop, threatened to escape.

This was goodbye.

Arthur couldn’t leave his kingdom and she couldn’t stay in Camelot.

“Arthur -”

A finger pressed against her lips, shushing her.

“Do you trust me?”

She nodded.

“I love you, Gwen.”

Then, he kissed her and she wondered if he could taste the tears on her lips.

 

* * *

 

Lady Rockford was saying something to him, and she kept touching him inappropriately, something Mithian, who sat by his side, seemed to find very amusing. Arthur suspected that if she was truly to be his wife, she might have endured this with less amusement. But aside from subtly shifting his body away from Lady Rockford and her roaming hands, Arthur was far more preoccupied with the entrance to the ballroom, specifically when Gwen would appear at the entrance. He’d managed to catch a glimpse of her in the fancy dress earlier but they had been huddled in a dark alcove and he had been more concerned about sharing his plan with her than enjoying the sight of her.

His eyes left the entrance for a moment and he saw his father at the opposite end of the room looking smug. He wouldn’t be looking smug for long, and despite the costs, Arthur was looking forward to seeing the look on his father’s face.

It started with murmurs but steadily increased. Mithian nudged him and he swung his gaze back to the entrance.

In a stunning, shimmering purple dress, so tightly corseted that her lush breasts looked like they were about to spill over, stood Gwen. For a moment, Arthur forgot how to breath. She might not be a princess, but standing there, framed by the ornate doorway, it wasn’t difficult to picture in that position. Not with the confident tilt of her head and a defiant look in her eyes. She stood straight, her arm in Merlin’s. For a moment, she didn’t move, as if allowing all the guests to get their fill of her - the notorious pirate captain Guinevere. Arthur swept a look at the crowd who had stopped eating and dancing, some even staring blatantly at Guinevere.

“Ah, the lovely Captain Gwen and her escort, Merlin.” His father’s voice boomed, cutting through the hushed whispered. “It is indeed our honour to have you join us for this evening’s celebrations.”

Arthur watched as his father walked to where Gwen stood and offered her his arm. His fingers curled into his palms as his father smiled insincerely when, after the minutest of hesitation, Gwen let go of Merlin and took the offered arm.

“Come. You’re late but you’re in time for a most delightful announcement from Arthur.” Uther settled Gwen down at one of the tables closest to the royal table and Merlin slid into the seat next to her, his face a blank mask.

Then, Uther retreated to his table and raised a goblet, striking it with a fork, easily gaining the attention of the guests.

Mithian leaned into Arthur. “The beginning of the end.”

He smiled at her. “I hope you’re ready.”

“I’m a princess. I’m always ready.”

When his father beckoned, Arthur stood, his eye catching Gwen, who outwardly looked as if she couldn’t care less about his announcement, but her eyes were brown pools of nerves and determination. Under the table, he was sure that Merlin was holding her hand.

“We are not just here to celebrate the defeat of Essetir, but to also celebrate my son’s - well, I will let him make the announcement himself.”

Cruel, cruel man, thought Arthur. He knew his father was only deferring the announcement to him to make Gwen suffer more. That thought alone was enough to give Arthur the assurance he needed to do this.

“Thank you, my lord.” He nodded at his father, then turned to the sea of eyes on him. Taking Mithian’s hand, he tugged so that she stood next to him. “It is my pleasure to announce that Princess Mithian of Nemeth and I are to be married.”

Then, he bent slightly and brushed his lips across hers. The room erupted, and from the corner of his eye, Arthur could see the smug, victorious grin of his father.

Amidst the cheers and applause, Arthur was pretty certain he heard a snort. Probably Morgana and when his eyes found her across the room, she merely shook her head at him. Next to her, Gwaine was less subtle about his feeling, flashing Arthur a rude gesture, before turning back to listen to the excited chatter of the knight beside him.

For the rest of the night, Arthur and Mithian had a constant stream of people coming to their table to offer their congratulations. As surreptitiously as possible, he kept an eye on Gwen, but it seemed that she was determined to maintain the facade of disinterest she had started the dinner with.

“The orchestra has started. A dance, perhaps?” Mithian asked. “Then, it’ll would only be chivalrous for you to dance with the pirate queen who saved us. And I might dance with her partner.”

Arthur offered his hand, a slight smile at her words. “May I?”

“Of course, my lord.”

They walked past Gwen’s table but she ignored him.

Like him, Mithian had been trained in the court dances since birth and she was a decent dancer. One hand lightly against her waist, the other holding her hand, he led her around the dance floor. The song they were dancing to seemed to go one forever, but eventually, Arthur heard the familiar notes that signalled the ending. Mithian and him broke apart. She curtsied as he bowed, then she left the dance floor.

Arthur could feel everyone’s eyes on him as he approached Gwen’s table.

“My lord.” Her tone was deferential but the look in her eyes was not.

He reached out a hand. “May I have this dance?”

In response, she slipped her hand in his and stood. Arthur looked over at Merlin. “You might want to ask the princess for a dance.”

Once they got to the middle of the dance floor, Arthur took both her hands, then wrapped her arms around his waist so that she was pressed up against his body. He imagined that the gossip hungry onlookers were having a field day. Newly engaged prince dancing far too intimately with the infamous pirate queen.

He didn’t care. Instead, he buried his face into her curls. They didn’t do the court dance steps -Gwen didn’t know them anyway - but swayed to the music in the middle as the other dancers twirled around them.

“I never thought I’d ever be standing in the Great Hall of Camelot, dancing cheek to cheek with you, and not have your father trying to kill me.”

Arthur chuckled. “Enjoy it. It will be a long time before this happens again, if ever.”

At his words, she stopped moving and placed a hand on his cheek. Her eyes shone and Arthur worried that she might cry. “Arthur -” Her voice broke and he quickly placed a finger on her lips.

“It’ll be fine, Gwen. I promise.”

 

* * *

 

Back in her room, Gwen was relieved to shrug out of her dress with the help from Morgana’s maid. She would have preferred to also undo the fancy hairdo but there was no time. Quickly slipping on her usual white shirt and dark trousers, Gwen grabbed the packed satchel on her bed, then made her way out the room and down the empty corridors. In the distance, she could still hear the celebrations from the Great Hall. It hadn’t been that terrible, if you ignored Uther’s presence. The food had been better than anything she’d ever eaten and the mead and wine had been free-flowing. Even the dancing hadn’t been too bad. She supposed she wouldn’t mind learning some of the court dances.

It didn’t take her long to get out of the castle. The moment she stepped outside, a figure moved towards her and she instinctively grabbed her cutlass.

“It’s just me.” Gwaine stepped out from the shadows. “Arthur instructed me to see you to the ship.”

She hesitated. “Where is Arthur?”

“He has some things to see to. Mainly, his father.” Gwaine offer her his arm. “He sends his apologies.”

“His father?” Her heart stopped beating and her fingers dug into Gwaine’s arm. “Is he -”

“He’ll be there. Don’t worry. Let’s go before someone notices us. Everybody else is on the ship.”

The night was unnaturally quiet and Gwen was sure that everyone could hear the pounding of her heart. Even after Arthur had assured her, quickly and firmly as they stood in that alcove, she couldn't quite believe that he was going to sail away from Camelot with her.

“I’m not giving up my kingdom,” Arthur had said, his hands in her hair, tilting her face up to his. “When my father dies, I’ll - we’ll return.”

Clinging to his promises, Gwen ran through the town until they reached the harbour. The sails were up and the Lady of the Lake was ready to cast off. Merlin stood at the railing and waved her up.

“Go on,” said Gwaine. “Arthur will meet you in Essetir. Go before Uther gets suspicious.”

With one last backward glance at Gwaine, she scrambled up the gangplank and onto the ship.

“Let’s go,” said Elena. “Get the sails, Mordred.”

Gwen watched Camelot get smaller and smaller as the ship made her way out of the harbour. She closed her eyes, immersing herself in the salty twang of the sea and the cool evening breeze. But behind her eyelids, images of Arthur played.

She had told him that she trusted him.

He will be at Essetir, she told herself. He will.


	27. Chapter 27

Uther was seated at his large desk, apparently absorbed in some documents that were spread out on the table, but the moment Arthur pushed the door open, he looked up.

"Arthur. Have the festivities ended?”

Arthur bowed, then nodded. “Yes. The servants are cleaning up now.”

“And why are you here?” Uther put his quill down and leaned back into his chair. “You should be spending time with Mithian.”

“Captain Gwen and her crew have left Camelot.”

“Good riddance,” said Uther. “Perhaps now you can focus on what is best for the kingdom.”

Irritation prickled Arthur’s skin and his words came out more clipped than he has wanted. “You promised to lift the bounty on her head.” 

“Yes, I did. I spoke to King Rodor and he called off the bounty. Your pirate captain is free to terrorise the seas again.”

Arthur stilled and pressed his lips together, surprised that the bounty was placed on Gwen’s head by Mithian’s father. “Why did King Rodor place the bounty on her head?”

“Because I asked him to,” said Uther dismissively. “Is there anything else you want?”

“I will leave for Essetir tomorrow, as you asked.”

“Good.” Uther picked up the document he had been reading and Arthur turned to leave. But just as he placed his palm on the rough wood of the door, Uther called his name. Dropping his hand, Arthur turned back to face his father. “About Morgana,” said Uther. 

“What about Morgana?” Arthur was relieved that he managed to sound just mildly curious even as his heart stuttered to a stop. 

“She’s behaving strangely.”

“More than usual?” asked Arthur lightly. 

Uther frowned. “I’m not pleased that she ran off to fight in the war. How did she think she was going to contribute? I am glad she wasn’t a liability.”

“You know how she’s like. I don’t think it’s that unexpected. And Morgana was very helpful during the fight.” Arthur took a step to the door, hoping that this would be the end of his conversation. 

“Hmmm. Get some sleep, Arthur. Essetir won’t be easy - a lack of leadership breeds conflict - and Albion doesn’t need another war. I hope your diplomacy skills are up to par. You did well in battle. Manage this to our advantage and I will be able to rest easy that you are a worthy heir to my throne.”

Old habits die hard and Arthur found himself thinking about how best he could please his father. His father wanted the malleable Lord Simpson installed on the throne. With Cenred gone, Arthur imagined that the various lords would be fighting for power. It would be easy to throw the weight of Camelot behind Lord Simpson and intimidate the rest of the nobles. His father would be proud. He would get more responsibilities, have a bigger say in the running of the kingdom, perhaps be able to implement some of the ideas he had -

Then, he remembered Gwen and his promise to her.

Arthur stepped out of Uther’s room with a heaviness in his heart and uncertainty in his mind. The knights outside bowed and greeted him, but Arthur ignored them and made his way to his room. He needed to be away from his father and think. It had been all so obvious, so clear when Gwen was in his arms - walk away from Camelot to be with her. But now he was wondering if he could really give up his birthright.

“Morgana!” Arthur swore under his breath before he shut his door. “You need to stop lurking in dark places - this is how people are going to realise you’re a witch.”

Morgana uncrossed her legs, but that was all the movement she made. “Your room is incredibly boring. Even the books you have are boring.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Since the last dance. I suppose you have been with Uther.”

Arthur removed his sword and placed it on the table before lying on his bed. “I was. He is more confused than angry that you ran away to fight, if that is what you were wondering.”

“Did he say anything about magic?”

“No. I get the impression he thinks that if he doesn’t mention it, we can all pretend that magic had nothing to do with the war.”

Morgana’s snort was far from ladylike. “Deluded fool.”

“That deluded fool brought you up,” said Arthur, dragging a pillow over his face. He didn’t want to have any discussions with Morgana right now. Not about magic and not about his father. 

Morgana’s voice softened. “And I will not forget that, but Uther’s narrow-mindedness about magic will only lead to our downfall. You know that, Arthur. Is Merlin and his dragon always going to sweep in and rescue us? The Druids might be happy with this truce for now, but for how long?”

“You’ve been thinking about this a lot.”

His bed sank slightly and Arthur lifted his pillow to see Morgana sitting at the edge of his bed. He dropped the pillow over his face again and sighed. 

“I have.” 

Then there was silence. A long silence that Arthur started to find uncomfortable. Morgana was clearly still sitting on his bed, yet she wasn’t saying anything and that was strange. They weren’t the type of siblings who enjoyed long bouts of peaceful silence with each other. But, he had nothing to say. Not really.

“What do you want, Morgana?”

She sniffed then stood. “I wanted to be with someone I didn’t have to hide from. But I won’t disturb you anymore.”

“Morgana.” Arthur tossed his pillow aside and scrambled off his bed. “Morgana.”

She stopped, her back to him. He reached for her, placing his hand on her upper arm. For a moment, she didn’t move.

Then, she turned and Arthur pulled her into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. 

She sniffed, gave him a squeeze then stepped away from Arthur. “Sometimes I wonder if Uther will kill me if I used magic.”

“Part of me wants to say that he loves you and he wouldn’t. But, I’m not that foolish. What do you plan to do?”

“Merlin spoke of working with the druids, to work on magic as a force for good.” 

“And you want to join him.” It was more a statement than a question. 

“He and that boy are annoying, but I suppose I trust them. Merlin at least. The boy, not so much.”

Arthur frowned at this. “If Merlin plans to go to the druids, then what about Gwen?”

Morgana’s shrug was a graceful movement. “She will still have Elena and Percy with her.  I thought you were going to marry her. Gwen doesn’t seem the type who would be happy simply being your mistress.”

“I want to be with her but -” Arthur sighed and rubbed his face, walking away from Morgana to stand next to the window. “I miss her already. Yet, to be with her means walking away from Camelot.”

“Duty before pleasure?” Morgana’s voice was laced with amusement. She stood beside him. “It’s a choice you have to make.”

Arthur took her hand, squeezing gently. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

Her touch was light against his cheek. “I won’t, Arthur.”

It took a long while before Arthur was able to fall asleep that night.

 

* * *

Mithian was waiting for Arthur at the port early the next morning. When she caught sight of him, a smile broke across her face. If he was willing to accept a loveless, passionless marriage, Arthur supposed he could do worse than Mithian. 

“Have you come to send me off?”

“Like a good wife-to-be?” she asked. “No. I’ve come to sail with you.”

It was then Arthur noticed that her manservant was hovering behind, laden with Mithian’s bags. “This is a surprise,” he said.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t come to insist you marry me despite the farce last night. Your beloved didn’t seem too pleased.”

“She understands,” said Arthur coolly, ignoring the small voice in his head that reminded him of the moment he had thought of leaving Gwen for Camelot.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been on a ship and I thought it would be nice to visit Essetir on behalf of my kingdom - hopefully establish better relations with whoever gains power. Then, I will return to Nemeth. Your father thinks I’m seizing this opportunity to spend time with my beloved.” 

“Thank you. For everything.”

She shook her head. “I like my freedom. I would have married to secure my kingdom’s safety but I also prefer a husband who wouldn’t be feeling regrets from even before the marriage.”

Mithian’s words gave Arthur pause. A year ago, he would have espoused the exact same view. But he wasn’t quite the person he was then anymore, was he? The troubling thing was he couldn’t say for sure, not with the doubts and second thoughts that had been plaguing him. He forced a smile at Mithian, then offered her his arm.

Gwaine was already on the The Grail, his eyebrow lifting when he saw Arthur walk on with Mithian. “My lord. Lady Mithian.”

“Is she ready?”

“We are checking on the riggings but we should be ready soon,” said Gwaine. “I did not realise Lady Mithian would be sailing with us. Shall I put her things into your room?”

Mithian slipped her arm from his and took a step forward. “I would prefer a cabin of my own.”

“Of course, my lady.” Gwaine gave Arthur another look before he led Mithian below deck. 

Wanting to avoid the various thoughts that were clamouring for his attention in his brain, Arthur turned to where his navigator was to check on the route to Essetir. But everything seemed to be in order and there wasn’t much for Arthur to do. He moved to the railings and stared out into the horizon. Gwen and her crew should be on their way to Essetir as well. With a half day head start, they should be in Essetir before nightfall. At the thought of seeing Gwen again, his heart swelled and did a little dance. He allowed himself a smile.

“On your command,” said Gwaine, appearing next to Arthur. “We are ready to sail.”

“Let’s go.”

 

* * *

Gwen shrieked a little when smoke erupted from the goblet that she was holding. Thankfully, instead of dropping it and spilling the liquid all over the floor, her fingers only tightened around it. 

“This smoke isn’t poisonous, is it?”

Merlin waved a hand in an attempt to disperse the smoke, a frown on his face. “There shouldn’t be smoke.”

“What should there be?”

“Nothing. The water should just get warmer.” Merlin ran a hand through his already messy hair and glared at Mordred. “I thought you said you’d practised.”

Gwen put the still-spewing goblet onto the table, ready to jump in, especially since she could see the familiar beginnings of a sulk on Mordred’s face.

“I did and it was fine before.”

“Then why can’t you do it now?”

“Maybe because you’re here, breathing down my neck, complaining about everything.”

“I wouldn’t have to if -” Merlin stopped when Gwen shook her head. He let out a sigh and turned away. “You need to learn to control your dark magic.”

Mordred pressed his lips together and crossed his arms. “I should have stayed in Camelot. Arthur wouldn’t -”

Gwen stepped forward. “Mordred. Why don’t you go see if Elena needs any help with lunch?”

For a moment, Mordred looked like he was about to answer back, then he seemed to have thought better of it. With a sharp nod, he walked out of the room.

“Don’t be so hard on him,” said Gwen, settling down on Merlin’s bed.

“Teaching isn’t exactly my forte. But I’ve seen how strong dark magic is in him and if we are to ensure that what happened doesn’t happen again, we need to get him to control it.”

When Merlin sat down on the bed next to her, Gwen leaned into him, letting her head drop onto his shoulder. “I don’t think getting him frustrated and upset is going to help. And he’s just a kid.”

“I know. I know.” Merlin slipped an arm around Gwen’s shoulders. “Gwen, once Arthur comes for you in Essetir, I think that I might pay a visit to the druids.”

“Just a visit?”

“For the moment,” said Merlin. “Besides, what use will you have for me when you become Queen of Camelot?”

Gwen looked down and rubbed a spot on her trousers. “It’s not that simple.”

“I thought -” Merlin drew back slightly. “I swear if that ass Arthur -”

“No. He promised and I believe him, but the more I think about it, the more impossible it seems to be.”

Merlin’s hand closed over hers. “Do you want to talk about it?”

And with those words, it was like a dam had been released and Gwen poured everything out to Merlin - the fear that she couldn’t be the queen Arthur needed, the suffocating heaviness in her chest when she thought of the freedom that she would be sacrificing to be with Arthur, the concern that Arthur was walking away from his kingdom for her and the anxiety that whatever she had with Arthur would fizzle out under the stress of day-to-day life. 

“Arthur is coming to Essetir. Perhaps, without his kidnapping and without the war, this would be a good time for you two to make all these huge decisions.” Merlin squeezed her hand. “Arthur seems adamant about not letting you go. That should count for something.”

“It does. But -”

The lunch bell rang. With one more squeeze of her hand, Merlin stood. “Lunch? I’m starving.”

Lunch was taken in Elena’s and Percy’s cabin where Percy was sitting up in bed. Elena sat next to him on a chair, a bowl of gruel in her hands, which she shared with Percy. Despite his pallor, Percy was chatty and smiley, which put Gwen’s heart at ease. Conversation remained light and easy, distracting Gwen from her earlier thoughts. As they all laughed at something Percy said, Gwen found herself looking around at her crew, the people who had stuck by her through thick and thin. She loved each and every one of them. Could she give them all up for Arthur? 

“Elena says we are landing at Essetir. I haven’t been back in years,” sighed Percy. He winced as he shifted. “Why are we sailing there?”

“Because Gwen is going to meet up with Arthur there,” said Elena. “We don’t have to get off if you don’t want to. I’m sure we can trust Mordred to pick up supplies.”

Percy turned his head to look at Gwen. He frowned slightly. “Are you leaving us?”

“I don’t know.”

Percy shifted again. “You know, with Cenred gone, this might be a good time to visit my uncle.”

Elena lifted her eyebrows. “Really? This uncle who told you to leave Essetir or die?”

“I wonder how he feels now that the man he betrayed my family for is dead.”

“I feel that there is something brewing in your head that you aren’t telling me,” said Elena as she smoothed a hand over his head. Percy shot her a grin, before he winced again. “Fine,” huffed Elena. “Keep your secrets.”

Percy touched Elena’s cheek. “You know I don’t keep secrets from you.”

Seeing the two of them and their obvious affection for each other made envy fill Gwen. She tore her eyes from them and looked over at Merlin and Mordred. Now, there was no love lost there. She wondered if Merlin would take Mordred to the druids as well. The closer they got to Essetir, the closer they seem to be breaking apart. 

* * *

 

 

The sun was setting, the sea lighting up with deep reds and orange. The breeze lifted her plait and sent loose strands of hair flying into her face. She pushed them away and leaned over the railing, letting the cool water spray at her. They would be arriving in Essetir soon and if her calculations were right, Arthur would arrive the next day. Despite all the uncertainties in her head, she couldn’t deny that a large part of her was anticipating being together with him again. 

Gwen had sailed past Essetir several times but she’d never set foot in the kingdom. The port was small with a handful of ships docked. With darkness blanketing the area, the only light was from the tavern. Once they secured The Lady of the Lake, Gwen, Merlin and Mordred made their way to the tavern. Percy wasn’t feeling well enough to leave the ship and unsurprisingly Elena didn’t want to leave him alone, despite his insistence.

The tavern was nondescript and fairly quiet. A few men sat in the shadows and a large, burly man stood behind the bar. 

“We don’t get strangers here much,” he said when the three of them approached the bar. “Especially now that the King is gone.”

“We’re just travellers. Needed supplies, that’s why we dropped anchor here,” said Merlin. He sat down. “Could do with some ale as well.”

“That I can do for you,” said the man. He returned quickly with three tankards, the ale sloshing out as he thumped them onto the table. “Something to eat?”

“Anything that isn’t gruel,” said Mordred. “Had enough of that sailing.”

The man laughed and nodded. “I might have some bread and meat left.”

This time, it took some time before the man returned with two large plates of food. Immediately, Mordred brightened up and grabbed a plate, stuffing his mouth with the food. Gwen expected the man to leave them, but instead he leaned on the bar counter and studied them. Surely, Gwen thought, he didn’t recognise her. 

“If you’ve been sailing around, then you know what’s been happening outside,” he said, his voice hushed.

Gwen looked at him. “What do you mean?” 

“The sailors who passed through all speak of a great war being waged outside our borders. The council said that King Cenred was killed defending us.”

Merlin choked, ale sputtering from his mouth, but the man paid no attention to him. 

“Is that what you heard?”

The man nodded. “There was a huge funeral for him, even though they haven’t found his body.”

“That seems premature,” said Merlin. “If there is no body, how do you know he’s dead?”

The man shrugged. “I’m sure the council has their means. The king had no heirs so now they are fighting over who should become the next king. But what I want to know is if the fighting outside is still going on? Or is it really over. War isn’t good for my business.”

“No,” said Merlin. “It’s over. Camelot put an end to it.”

“Camelot!” The man spat the word out. “King Uther is a snake. I bet he started the war as an excuse to kill King Cenred.”

“You’re probably right,” said Merlin. “I wouldn’t put it past him. So, who is likely to become the next King of Essetir?”

For the next hour or so, the man regaled them with his political views - most of which were clearly unsubstantiated rumours, but there were several interesting tidbits he shared, especially that little morsel of information that Percy’s uncle was one of the several people vying to become King. Merlin indulged the man in conversation while Mordred scoffed down most of the food.

“Need some rooms for the night?”

“Three,” said Merlin.

“Sorry. Only two rooms here. You two young men can share.” The man turned away, then tossed two keys onto the bar. “Up the stairs, to the right.”

As they stood in the dim corridor, just outside their rooms, Gwen kissed Merlin, then patted Mordred’s cheek. “Don’t kill each other.”

 

* * *

Gwen hadn’t meant to wake up so early but the anticipation that Arthur’s ship would be coming in was enough to jolt her awake the moment the dawn sunlight streamed into her room. A quick wash and some fresh clothes later, Gwen walked down to the tavern and ordered herself some breakfast. 

Gwaine hadn’t gone into much detail of Arthur’s plan and her snatched conversation with Arthur in the alcove before the feast hadn’t revealed much either. But at both times, she’d come away with the firm belief that Arthur was choosing her over Camelot. Once again, all her doubts and uncertainties came rushing back and she played with, more than ate, her breakfast. 

She had been lost in her memories of Arthur when the chatter in the tavern increased in volume and excitement. For a moment, she wondered what was going on. Then she heard the words ‘Camelot’ and ‘Prince’. Her heart stuttered and she got to her feet. Despite all her uncertainties, Gwen hadn’t realised just how afraid she had been that Arthur wouldn’t come to Essetir. 

Taking quick steps, Gwen left the tavern and made her way to where a small crowd had gathered. Arthur’s The Grail loomed over all the other smaller ships and a small contingent of knights had already left the ship, lining up for Arthur’s appearance. Gwaine was the first one she saw. He caught her eye and his lips lifted slightly. Gwen curled her fingers into her palm to stop herself from waving to him. By now, she was pure anticipation and she pushed herself onto tiptoes to get a better view. 

Arthur appeared, stepping onto the gangplank, his posture straight and his head held high. There was no mistaking his position and power, and even though Camelot apparently was seen as the enemy in Essetir, the people who had gathered bowed, keeping their eyes down as was expected. 

Not her.

Gwen watched Arthur’s every step, willing him to look at her. But he stopped suddenly, and turned a fraction. Gwen looked at the direction that Arthur was looking in.

Mithian.


	28. Chapter 28

When Mithian touched Arthur’s arm, Gwen walked away. She had far too much pride to stand there while Arthur walked around with his fiance. Reluctant to return to the tavern where she was sure Arthur would be the topic of the morning, she walked to where The Lady of the Lake was and boarded it. 

Percy was on the deck, leaning heavily against the rails, his eyes far too perceptive for Gwen’s comfort as he tracked her movement. Stopping beside Percy, Gwen leaned against the railings, her back to Arthur and Mithian.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. Still sore and my stamina is lacking. It’s funny how Essetir still looks the same after all these years.”

“Do you miss her?”

Percy smiled. “Sometimes. But I’ve something better here. I see that Arthur has arrived. Why are you back on the ship?”

Gwen said nothing and despite her better judgement, she turned around, letting her gaze fall on Arthur and Mithian. They weren’t touching, Mithian walking slightly behind Arthur who was talking to Gwaine. The small crowd continued to watch them. A tall, lanky man broke from the crowd and walked towards Arthur. It was a small movement but Gwen noticed that Arthur’s hand immediately went to his hip where his sword would be. But the man bowed, then said something that made Arthur nod.

Beside her, Percy scoffed. “I knew he would rise. He was always the brown noser.”

“You know him?”

“Edgar and I used to play together until the day his family turned on us when Cenred started to consolidate his power.  Looks like it paid off for him. Well, until now.”

“What do you think will happen?”

Percy said nothing for a while, his eyes focused on the tall man who was still talking to Arthur - serious matters, Gwen presumed from the frown on Arthur’s face. She wondered what Uther’s instructions were and what Arthur was planning to do. And she wondered if Gwaine had told her the truth.

“Edgar must be itching to get his hands on Cenred’s throne and I imagine he’s not the only one. Cenred didn’t command loyalty - he ruled through fear and now that he’s gone, there’s nobody to fear.”

“And everyone’s loyalty will only be to themselves.” 

“Of course,” said Percy. “I wonder who Camelot wants on the throne.”

Then something occurred to Gwen. Shifting so she could look Percy in the eyes, she asked, “If your family was killed because they were a threat to Cenred, does that mean you have a claim to the throne?”

He shrugged, then winced. “Perhaps. But Elena wants to be a Lady even less than you, and honestly, I don’t want to rule. Maybe five years ago. Now, I like this pirate life.”

“Even when we don’t actually rob ships?” Gwen asked teasingly.

Percy’s hip bumped hers gently and she smiled up into his warm eyes. 

“Although,” said Percy, but he never finished his thought because Elena walked onto the deck.

“Gwen. I thought I saw The Grail dock. Why are you here?” Elena then turned to Percy. “And you need to get your dressing changed.”

“Arthur is busy with official business. I would just be a distraction.”

Elena looked like she was about to say something when Percy took a step forward and slipped an arm around her waist. “Help me with the bandages. Then we should get off this ship and have a look at Essetir today.”

“Is that what you want to do?” Elena asked.

“It’s been years,” said Percy. “And I don’t know when I’ll be back again.”

Elena nodded. “Come on then.”

Reaching his hand out, Percy gave Gwen’s arm a squeeze. “Wait for us. We can go down together.”

Gwen turned her attention back to the going-ons on the dock. Just at that moment, Arthur and the man finished their conversation. A quick bow and the man walked away, dispersing the rest of the crowd with a few curt words. At that very moment, Arthur turned his head and looked towards The Lady of the Lake. He squinted - the sun was behind her - and Gwen wondered if he could see her. When Arthur turned away, her heart sank. She was just about to go below the deck when she noticed that Arthur was walking towards her ship. 

She couldn’t look away, her eyes drinking in his confident strides. Joy and anger fought in her and Gwen didn’t know what to do. Part of her wanted to move towards him, but her feet seemed to disagree. Yet, she couldn’t help but think that Arthur was taking far too long to cover the short distance and with every step he took, Gwen’s heart pounded that little bit harder. .

Finally, Arthur stepped onto the deck. His eyes met hers and Gwen had to press her lips together to stop the foolish grin that threatened to break out on her face. The last thing she wanted was for Arthur to think that she was perfectly fine with whatever game he was playing with her and Mithian. Clearly, he had no such qualms, his whole face lighting up. Gwen clutched the railing, fighting the urge to go to him.  

“Gwen,” he muttered. Then, he reached for her and perhaps it was her who moved, because the next moment, she was in his arms, his fingers threading through her hair, his other arm tight around her waist. “Gwen.”

Gwen inhaled his scent and her fingers traced the familiar contours of his chest. Then, she stepped back, wriggled out of his hold and shoved him. 

“What -” Arthur reached for her again but she evaded him easily.

“Gwaine didn’t say that you would be coming here with Mithian.” She had wanted to sound like she didn’t care, but the words came out petulant. 

The joy in his face faded and Arthur took a step back from her. Immediately she missed his touch. “Let’s go below. We have an audience here."

Sure enough, when Gwen looked back on shore, part of the crowd that had gathered earlier was still milling around and some were watching them. “I don’t think they know who I am.”

“Doesn’t matter. They know who I am. Come.” He took her hand and tugged her towards the stairs. Gwen didn’t follow immediately, leading to Arthur turning back to frown at her. “Gwen.”

Silently, they descended the stairs and walked through the narrow corridors until they came to the Gwen’s room. Arthur pushed open the door, then pulled her inside. Gwen shrugged from his hold and walked to her dresser, leaned against it and crossed her arms.

“You announced your intention to marry Mithian during last night’s dinner, and now you travel with her to a diplomatic visit to Essetir. What do you expect me to think?” 

Arthur thrust one hand roughly through his hair, messing it up. His eyes flashed in anger. “I expect you to have faith in us.” 

“Based on what?”

He took a step towards her. “Based on the fact that I love you.”

Gwen pressed her lips together, refusing to flinch when Arthur trapped her against the dresser with his arms. “Those are just words.”

“I gave you a ship. I made my father lift the bounty on your head. And after this trip for Camelot, I’m planning to walk away to be with you. What more do you want from me?”

“Can you truly walk away from Camelot?” Gwen’s jealousy dissipated, replaced with uncertainty and she lifted a hand to touch his cheek. “Maybe we’re lying to -”

“Oh no.” Arthur moved closer to her. “No.” Then, he was kissing her, his hands cradling her face with so much gentleness, that Gwen felt the last bit of her anger slip away. Her arms slid around his shoulders, her fingers threading through his hair as she deepened the kiss, pressing her body into his. 

“Why,” breathed Arthur, leaning his forehead against hers. “Why are our reunions always so angry?” 

Gwen had to smile at the accuracy of that statement. “Because everything is so uncertain? One moment we have no future, the next we have plans. I don’t know what to believe. I don’t know what I want to believe.”

He kissed her forehead, then hugged her close. She felt him take a few deep breaths “Before I came here, my father, thinking I was going to marry Mithian and had sent you away, told me how proud he was of me. I spent my whole life wanting my father to say just that.”

After his tenderness, this wasn’t what she was expecting to hear from him. The pain that sliced through Gwen’s whole body was sharper than she’d expected and for a moment she couldn’t move. She’d known, she thought she’d prepared herself for his rejection yet her eyes stung with hot tears. Pride kept her tears from falling and she wriggled out of Arthur’s hold, dodging when he reached for her. 

“Gwen -”

Anger washed over her at his solicitous tone. “I’m glad that you finally got your father’s approval. Once we stock up on supplies, we’ll be on our way. Avoiding Camelot is second nature to us, so you don’t have to worry about any awkward encounters.”

Arthur swore and lunged towards her, taking her by surprise. In her attempt to avoid him, she stumbled, her legs hitting her bed, causing her to sit heavily down on it. But Arthur too had lost his balance and he fell on her, his warm, heavy body pressing her into the softness of the bed. Still angry, Gwen shoved at him, trying to push him off her, but he merely shifted his weight so that he was lying fully on top of her. Before she could react, he grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. 

He growled. “You have such a temper.”

“You’re one to talk,” she grumbled as she tried to tug free from his hold. “What are you doing? If you’re going to leave, then leave. I don’t -”

It wasn’t as if Gwen didn’t know this was how Arthur would react but she still gasped when his lips crashed down on hers. Unlike the earlier kiss, this one was punishing, rough and desperate. She gave back as good as she got, sinking her teeth into his lips, tasting the blood that she drew. 

Eventually, Arthur drew back, breathing hard. He let go off her hands and ran a finger across her swollen lips. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she muttered. “What -”

This kiss was a lot more gentle, then he slid his mouth to her ear. “I love you, Gwen. I would give up Camelot for you. I admit that I had some doubts but seeing you, being with you - there’s nothing like it.”

The tears that had been threatening finally spilled. Arthur’s lips moved over her eyes and cheeks, kissing away the wetness. 

“I don’t want you to give up Camelot,” Gwen finally managed to say. “I may not be the best queen you could have, but I would try for you.”

Arthur gave her a wobbly smile, then sat up. “Come here.”

Gwen let Arthur settle her on his lap. Closing her eyes, Gwen rested her head on his chest, listening to the comforting thump of his heart. His hand rubbed her back and his cheek rested on her head. 

“Why is Mithian here? Did your father send her to sail with you?”

“He probably thinks she is coming as my bride to be, but she has her own agenda. Essetir is the weak link. Cenred had always wanted to amass power and land.”

“So you and Mithian are here to ensure that the right person takes the throne - someone who would take direction from Camelot?”

Arthur’s laugh was soft and she felt it more than heard it. His nose nuzzled her neck. “That would be preferable, but I would settle for someone who wouldn’t join forces with mysterious magic women to destroy the land.”

“You know,” said Gwen, “Percy is from Essetir. He knows that man you were speaking to earlier. Edward? Edmund?”

“Edgar Simpson. Arrogant, pompous ass. Exactly the kind of person who shouldn’t be king. Of course, my father wants him on the throne. He’s been grovelling in front of my father for years. Now’s his chance.”

“And you knew that about him from those few minutes of conversation?”

“I’m a great judge of character.”

“I don’t know. Someone thought I was a blood-thirsty pirate with no morals -”

In one quick movement, Arthur lifted Gwen off his lap and tossed her onto the bed. Quickly, he straddled her and pinned her hands above her head. “You were deliberately cultivating that image,” he growled.

“Perhaps Edgar is a kind, just person -”

Arthur shook his head, then gave her punishing kiss. In return, Gwen nipped at his lips. 

“Percy and Edgar used to be childhood friends,” said Gwen, when they finally broke apart. “Perhaps you should talk to him.”

“Good idea. How is he?”

“Recovering.” Gwen shoved at Arthur’s chest. “As much as I want to spend time with you in bed, it’s probably better that you settle this situation first. And then, we can decide what is going to happen to us.”

Arthur got off the bed, then offered Gwen his hand. “Let’s go talk to Percy then.”

At the door, Gwen stopped, earning a look from Arthur. “Would you really give up Camelot for me?”

“Would you give up being a pirate for me?”

“I think I might.”

 

* * *

From the bits and pieces that Arthur had gathered from conversations with Mordred, Merlin and Gwen, he had been under the impression that Percy had left Essetir when he was pretty young and had few ties with the kingdom. As it turned out, Percy hadn’t been that young when he left and while his whole immediate family had been slaughtered by Cenred, Percy still held onto his family seal - the one piece of proof that he was of noble blood.

“I am looking forward to seeing my uncle,” said Percy mildly, as if he was talking about a family member he hadn’t visited in awhile instead of the man who had killed his family. “I believe that he thinks me dead.”

“I don’t like this,” said Elena. 

Percy smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ve no intention of taking the throne.”

“I think you should consider it. Nemeth and Camelot will back you and with an alliance between us three, we can secure the coast.” Mithian said. “You seem like a good sort.”

“High praise indeed,” said Merlin. “No princess has ever called me a good sort.”

Mithian raised an eyebrow, seemingly unimpressed with Merlin’s wit which made Arthur grin inside. 

A small crowd trailed them as they made their way to the castle. Arthur figured that they looked like a strange group - he and Mithian in their royal garb while Gwen’s group in their usual pirate uniform. He kept Gwen’s hand held tightly in his. As they made their way through the main town, Arthur thought about how unfair it was that Essetir, part of the cause of the war, appeared untouched by all the fighting. Othanden and Ismere had been completely destroyed. He needed to visit those kingdoms, see if Camelot could offer any help. That meant more travelling. 

Gwen squeezed his hand. “Arthur,” she murmured.

Shaken from his thoughts, Arthur looked at her, then at the castle she was staring at. Not as large as Camelot’s castle, nor as welcoming. The steps leading up to the large entrance were steep and crumbling. The Essetir flag that hung limply by the side of the entrance was dull and tattered. The actual war might not have touched the kingdom but it was clear that the kingdom had suffered as well. Cenred must have spent all his resources on this war he waged, neglecting his people and lands. For the first time, Arthur took a careful look at the curious crowd that had followed them. Their faces were gaunt and something akin to desperation was in their eyes. 

What had Cenred done?

“My Lord.”

The man who had met him at the docks, professing to be a member of the council stood at the top of the steps.

“Sir Edgar,” said Arthur. “Thank you for allowing us to visit without notice.”

Edgar’s lips moved and Arthur suspect he was trying to smile. That attempt at a smile quickly dissolved when his eyes fell on Gwen. In her shirt and trousers, she looked nothing like a noble lady, but Edgar’s gaze quickly flicked back to Arthur.

“What happened before was unfortunate, but King Cenred - he was not well.”

“Not well?” Mithian’s voice dripped with disbelief. “That is your reason for the destruction that your kingdom wrecked across Albion?”

Edgar drew himself up, his eyes narrowing at Mithian. “You’re here on my land. May I suggest that you don’t -”

“I don’t?” Mithian asked but Edgar’s attention was no longer on her. His face, pale to begin with was even whiter and his eyes widened to the point of comedy.

“It has been a while, Edgar. It’s good to see that you’ve achieved all you wanted, considering the extent you went to.”

“Percival,” said Edgar. “I did not -”

Percy stepped forward, wincing a little but Arthur suspected Edgar was too dumbfounded to notice the slight movement. Behind him, Elena chewed on her lip, her hands in fists by her side. 

“Did not expect to see me? I admit, I did not expect to set foot on Essetir again, but life is funny, isn’t it?”

“Funny.” Edgar gestured to the large doors. “We should take this discussion inside. Come.” 

They followed Edgar into the castle and were led to what Arthur assumed was the council room. Around the long table sat a handful of men. Edgar made a curt introduction before taking a seat at the head of the table. A few men glared at Edgar, making it obvious that not everyone was pleased to have him in power. 

“Why have you come? We have nothing to discuss. The affairs of Essetir has nothing to do with Camelot.”

Arthur took a step forward and placed both hands on the table. “Edgar, you are no fool. Essetir waged war on Albion, breaking all the treaties in place. Did you think Camelot would simply look away? Kingdoms were destroyed by you.”

“Look around. Essetir has nothing. If you’re looking for reparations, you’re out of luck.”

“That’s not what I want,” said Arthur. “Your king is dead and he leaves behind no heir. I want Essetir to become pledge allegiance to Camelot.”

Edgar snorted. “If you think that -”

“We should consider -”

“That is ridiculous!”

The room erupted into chaos with the different factions attempting to out yell each other. For a brief moment, Arthur watched as accusations and grudges were aired in front of him. Then, he nodded at Percy.

Despite his injuries, Percy was still an imposing presence. He moved next to Arthur and raised his arm, his hand clenched in a fist. Then, he slowly relaxed his fingers. A chain fell onto the table, barely making a noise but it clearly caught the attention of one of the older men. He fell silent, mouth open as he stared at the chain and the seal attached to it. His lack of response to the person he was arguing with drew his opponent’s attention to Percy and soon all the men were staring at the seal. 

“Lord Percival Efwc.” 

“It can’t be! He -”

“Unfortunately, despite your father’s efforts, Edgar, I did not perish that night,” said Percy. “And now that I’m back, I wish to claim my birthright. This seal should be proof enough.”

Arthur nodded. “And he has Camelot’s backing.”

“And Nemeth’s,” said Mithian. A cool smile curved her lips. “I feel that we have a lot of discuss.”

 

* * *

 

Beads of sweat dotted Percy’s forehead and his complexion seemed even paler than before. Elena dabbed at him with a piece of cloth in between glaring at Arthur. But Arthur was feeling far too pleased with himself to let Elena’s unhappiness bother him. 

“I cannot believe I missed that,” said Merlin. “You could have at least come and got me.”

“We went to the tavern but you and Mordred were nowhere to be found! Where were you two?”

Mordred made a face. “In the forest practising magic.”

“Any success?” asked Gwen. She made to move but Arthur tightened his hold on her waist. In response, she stepped on his foot. He still didn’t drop his arm.

“He managed to conjure up a little breeze. Not enough to blow out a candle, but at least he wasn’t using white magic.”

“Is that pride I hear in your voice?” asked Arthur with amusement. 

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Are you sure it was a good idea to leave Mithian in Essetir?”

“Gwaine and his knights are with her. After I report back to my father, I’ll send more men. It’ll be a good chance for her to show her father that she doesn’t need to marry me to be an effective ruler. She’ll draw up the treaty and see to it that Edgar and his men are stripped of whatever power they have at the moment. We couldn’t have done this without Percy,” said Arthur.

Elena remained silent but her glare spoke volumes.

“What would you have done without Percy?”

Arthur looked down at Gwen who was now relaxed into his side, her hair mussed up by the gentle sea breeze. “The same thing. Percy just gave us a lot more leverage. It’s a pity he didn’t want to take the throne.”

Percy smiled wanly. “The crown is far too heavy for my head. As nice as being out in fresh air is, I think the excitement of today is taking its toll on me. I’m going to go back to my cabin. Elena?”

One more glare, then Elena slipped her arm around Percy’s waist. A round of goodbyes, then the couple disappeared down the steps. 

“I’m exhausted too, no thanks to Merlin,” said Mordred. “We’re headed back to Camelot?”

“For now.”

Merlin got off the box he was sitting on. “Then what is going to happen?”

“I don’t know,” said Gwen quietly. She looked up at him, a slight frown between her eyes, then back at Merlin. “I think that Arthur and I have a lot of discuss.”

“I want to stay on and sail the oceans,” said Mordred. “I don’t want to go live with a bunch of boring, old men.”

“Boring, old men?”

“He means the druids. Come on, Mordred. Let’s leave these two alone.”

“I think Morgana wants to visit the druids too,” said Arthur. “They’ve become surprisingly popular.”

Merlin’s only response was a raised eyebrow. Then, grabbing Mordred’s arm, he dragged Mordred down under the deck. Finally, Arthur was alone with Gwen. With a grin, he tugged Gwen so she was facing him and kissed her. Her response was immediate, sinking into his kiss and cupping his cheek.

“Explain the rest of your plan to me again,” said Gwen. “Especially the bit about how your father won’t have a problem with your marriage to Mithian not happening.”

Arthur sat on the box that Merlin had occupied earlier and pulled Gwen onto his lap. “Mithian is going to have her hands full with Essetir, and she’s going to decline the marriage arrangement. With Essetir, Nemeth will have much more influence so my father will not want to kick up too much of a fuss. And I’m going to decline the position of the navy captain -”

“What -”

“Othanden and Ismere had been badly destroyed in the war. As the largest and wealthiest kingdom, Camelot should provide aid. I am thinking of leading that. It would involve a lot of travel and I plan to travel with the most feared pirate.” Arthur grinned at her. “That should keep me safe.”

Gwen laughed, then rested her head on his shoulder. “And your father is going to allow that?”

“For now, I’m not going to tell him that I’m travelling with you. There’s not much he can do when I’m an ocean away.”

“Ah,” said Gwen.

Arthur took a deep breath as he prepared to tell her about the last part of his plan. He tightened his arms around her and kissed her hair. “Gwen.”

“Hmm?” She moved so she was able to look at him.

“I was thinking that perhaps a few months later, we could sail to the middle of the ocean where we can’t see any land. And then, perhaps Gwaine could meet us there.”

“Why?”

“Gwaine, surprisingly, is able to marry people.” His words came out shaky and Arthur watched Gwen’s expression as he held his breath. 

She blinked and for a moment, Arthur thought that he would have to spell out exactly what he was hinting at. 

“Marry people? As in, you and me?”

“Yes. You and me.” He thought he was still holding his breath, but that couldn’t be true because his heart was pounding like galloping horses. “Marry me, Gwen.”

“In the middle of the ocean?”

Arthur nodded. 

Gwen looked like she was about to cry. 

“I hope those are happy tears,” he said gruffly, swallowing a ball of emotion that had suddenly formed in his throat.

“What about your father?”

“I’m hoping that he won’t disown me, but if he does, then I’ll think of something else.”

She blinked again, this time causing a tear to escape and roll down her cheek. 

“Gwen,” Arthur groaned, kissing the tear away. “You’re making me nervous. Tell me you’ll marry me.”

“You might lose Camelot.”

“But I’ll have you. Say yes, Gwen.”

Pressing her lips against his, Gwen said yes. 

Arthur deepened the kiss, pressing Gwen’s soft body against his, sliding his hands along the waistband of her trousers and pulling her shirt up. She wriggled, sending blood rushing through his length. Somehow, they managed to get both their trousers off, then Gwen straddled him, sinking down onto him. He groaned as he felt her warm heat surround him. His fingers dug into her waist as hers sank into his shoulders. 

“I love you,” he said, as he lifted her slightly, then letting her sink back down on him. “You need to move, Gwen.”

Her hair loosened and flying in the wind, her breasts bouncing and her face flushed with desire, she was a goddess. Arthur fumbled with the buttons on her shirt while she continued to move, murmuring his name over and over again. Easing one hand between them, he rubbed her and, giving up on the buttons, he bent forward and took her nipple into his mouth.

At that very moment, she came, pulsing around him and clutching at his shoulders. Then, she slumped against him. Arthur pushed the hair from her face and kissed her. 

“You haven’t -” she said.

He shook his head.

“Let’s go to my - our room.”

He kissed her once more. “Brilliant idea.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	29. Epilogue

A shadow fell over her and Gwen moved the arm covering her face, squinting her eyes against the glare of the sun.

“Have you quarrelled with Arthur again?” Merlin flopped down on the deck next to her and stretched out.

“We don’t quarrel that much.” Gwen pushed herself up on one elbow and looked down at Merlin. “Do we?”

“More than Percy and Elena, that’s for sure.”

Gwen lay back down on the deck and sighed. “We did have a bit of a tiff this morning over how to allocate the funds to Ismere. He’s a bleeding heart sometimes.”

“And apparently you’re the hard-hearted, practical one. Who would have thought?” 

“Did Arthur complain to you?” Despite Merlin and Mordred’s frequent visit to the druids, Merlin and Arthur had somehow struck up a friendship that was apparently close enough that he was sharing details of their relationship with Merlin. 

Merlin laughed. “Are you rethinking tomorrow? You’ll break his heart and he has a huge surprise for you.”

“A surprise!” No wonder Arthur had been behaving weirdly, constantly distracting her with kisses and more whenever she ran into him, not that Gwen was complaining. “What kind of surprise?”

“Forget I said anything.”

Gwen swung her leg to connect with Merlin’s. “Give me a hint at least.”

“Oh no.”

“Will I like it?”

“You like anything that Arthur gives you. I mean, those wild flowers last week? They were on death’s door but I saw the look on your face.”

“Shut up.” This time, her leg connected with Merlin’s with greater force.

Merlin turned his face to look at her. “I’m happy for you. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if you and Arthur would work.”

“I wasn’t sure either.” She reached out her arm and Merlin took it. “Our lives are really different now.”

“We’re no longer pretending to be pirates. You’re flying the Camelot flag on your ship. And tomorrow, you’re going to be marrying a prince. Different is a bit of an understatement.”

“Yeah.”

The two of them lay hand in hand on the deck, soaking up the sun and enjoying the gentle rocking of the ship. It was a welcomed respite from their busy lives. Merlin, Mordred and Morgana spent a good portion of time with the druids while she and Arthur, together with Elena and Percy, made several trips between the various kingdoms. What had started as Arthur wanting to help Othanden and Ismere, ended up being various diplomatic trips around Albion. She went with him everywhere, mostly on The Lady of the Lake but sometimes on The Grail but until they were married, Arthur was insistent that she didn’t set foot on Camelot. She wasn’t a secret but Uther made his distaste of Arthur’s association with her obvious and it was just easier to stay out of his way. That wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was how much Gwen enjoyed helping rebuild Othanden and Ismere and solving problems. 

“No one told me we were having a sun bathing party.” Elena walked over, then settled cross-legged onto the deck, leaning against the side of the ship. 

“Where’s Percy?”

“He’s talking to Arthur about boring politics,” said Elena. “Before Arthur, Percy was never interested in such things. Now -” Elena shook her head, but the slight smile on her face softened her complaints. “Now he’s talking about alliances and economies.”

“He still doesn’t want a seat in the Essetir council,” said Gwen. “Arthur’s asked several times.”

“Sailing is in his blood,” said Elena, not without a tinge of pride. “By the way, Mordred is sulking down below.”

“At least he’s unlikely to blow a hole through the ship.”

Merlin scowled at Gwen. “You still won’t let go of that incident.”

“Incidents,” said Elena. “With an ‘s’.”

“Fine. Gang up on me.”

Elena reached out and ruffled Merlin’s hair. “You know we love you. You don’t spend enough time with us anymore.”

“The druids keep me busy. Not to mention Morgana and Mordred.”

“I think you, Morgana and Mordred make a cute family,” said Gwen.

“We’re not a family. We’re a bunch of people forced together. On a good day, I barely tolerate Morgana, that bossy, pushy woman.” 

Gwen tried not to smile. “I thought I saw you hug Mordred yesterday.”

Merlin scowled again. “You probably had dirt in your eye.”

Elena laughed, and Gwen was unable to stop herself from joining in. Eventually, Merlin squeezed her hand and laughed along with them.

 

 

* * *

 

Gwen was undoing her braid when Arthur walked into their room. He met her eyes in the mirror and he smiled, a warm, affection curve of his lips. He stood behind her and slowly, he began to untangle her hair, loosening it from the braid and pulling out the pins. Gwen closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of Arthur taking care of her. 

“How was your day?”

“Better if you were around.” His lips brushed against her ear. “Did you enjoy your day with your crew?”

“Very much. Only you hogged Percy a lot.”

His breath puffed against the back of her neck as he laughed. Then, Gwen shivered when he kissed her neck. “For a man who doesn’t want to be a leader, he has a lot of opinions.”

“He wants Essetir to return to her former glory.”

Arthur’s hands were now on her shoulders, massaging them gently. “I can understand that. But I really don’t want to talk about politics right now.”

Leaning back into Arthur, Gwen tilted her head up to look at him. “What do you want to talk about then?”

“I rather we don’t talk actually.” 

And they didn’t talk - not much at least - for a good, long while. Later, their legs entwined, her head resting on Arthur’s bare chest, Gwen closed her eyes and listened to the comforting rhythm of his heart. 

“Tomorrow,” said Arthur. 

“Mmm.”

“I can barely believe it.”

Gwen pressed her face into his chest. “Me too. But Gwaine’s here and Merlin and Elena have been busy putting up what they claim are decorations. It’s really happening.”

“You don’t have any doubts now, do you?”

“No. Not anymore.” Gwen shifted so that she could see his face. “Do you?”

Arthur kissed her. “No. This six months - they have been perfect.”

“Even our quarrel this morning?”

“We will never not quarrel,” said Arthur with a sigh. “If only you were more pliable - ouch!”

“Maybe you should be less stubborn,” said Gwen.

His laugh rumbled through her. “At least, we’re really good at making up.”

“That,” said Gwen as she cupped his face, “we are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was started in 2014 and now it's finally finished. Those of you who have read it, thank you for reading this mammoth (to me). I can't express how much it means to me to see the kudos and the comments. :)


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